GIFT  OF 


REFERENCE  BOOK 

TOR   THE 

LECTURE 


HOME 

CANNING 


BY  THE 


COLD  PACK 
METHOD 


PUBLISHED    BY    THE 


INTERNATIONAL  HARVESTER  COMPANY  OF  NEW  JERSEY,  Inc. 

AGRICULTURAL  EXTENSION  DEPARTMENT 

HARVESTER  BUILDING,  CHICAGO 


HOME  CANNING 

BY  THE 

COLD  PACK  METHOD 


FROM    THE    PRESIDENT'S    OFFICE 
TO  THE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 


NOTE — All  or  any  portion  of  this  booklet  may  be  re- 
produced by  giving  proper  credit  to  the  publishers. 

CRITICISMS — Any  suggestions  for  improvement  of 
this  book  will  be  appreciated. 


Prepared  by  Grace  Marian  Smith 


PUBLISHED    AND    COPYRIGHTED  1917,  BY 

INTERNATIONAL  HARVESTER  COMPANY 

OF  NEW  JERSEY   (INCORPORATED) 
AGRICULTURAL  EXTENSION  DEPARTMENT 

P.  G.  HOLDEN,  Director 
HARVESTER  BLDG.,  CHICAGO 

AE  366-5-15-17 


INTRODUCTORY 


M^^^HIS  booklet  is  intended  to  describe 
M  J  the  essential  steps  in  Cold  Pack 
Canning,  and  to  make  the  story  so 
simple  and  accurate  that  anyone  who  will 
follow  the  directions  can  can  any  product 
successfully.  Many  friends  have  assisted 
with  suggestions;  special  acknowledgment  is 
due  O.  H.  Benson,  Office  of  Extension  Work, 
Northern  and  Western  States,  U.  S.  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C., 
whose  original  research  has  done  much  to 
advance  thz  industry  and  simplify  the  meth- 
ods of  Home  Canning. 


INDEX 

Page 

Suggestions  to  the  Lecturer 4 

Illustrations — Steps  In  Canning 6 

Illustrations — Demonstrator 's  Outfit , 8 

Chart         I— Don't  Waste  It;  Can  It 10 

Chart        II— Why  Can  It 11 

Chart      III — Anyone  Can  Can  Any  Product 13 

Chart      IV— Use  What  You  Have 16 

Chart        Y— Steps  In  Cold  Pack  Canning 25 

Chart      YI— Finishing  the  Work 30 

Chart    VII— It's  Good  Business 33 

Chart  VIII— We  Grow  It,  Why  Not  Can  It? 34 

Chart      IX— Club  Work  Gives  4-H  Training 35 

Chart        X— Why  Have  I  Been  Talking  to  You 38 

Testing  Jars  and  Rubbers 17 

Home  Made   Cookers 19 

Factory  Made  Outfits 21 

Other  Things  Needed 24, 

Canning  Tomatoes 26 

Canning  in  Tin 40 

The  Hand  Sealer 41 

Sterilizing  Products  in  Tin 42 

Labels   43 

Buying  Food  to  Can 43 

Opportunity  for  Girls 44 

The  House  Mother's  Responsibility ' 45 

Solder  Sealed  Tin  Cans 47 

Canning    Reminders 51 

Canning  Fruit  Juices  and  Meats 55 

Jellies  and  Preserves 56 

History  of  Home  Canning  Clubs 58 

Time  Table  ...                           59 


36196J 


To  the  Lecturer 

x 

If  a  chart  lecture  has  been  arranged  for,  and  it  is  not  possible 
to  give  a  Demonstration  of  cold  pack  canning  at  the  meeting, 
the  lecturer  should  instruct  in  the  Cold  Pack  method  and 
endeavor  to  arouse  interest  in  Home  Canning.  An  organization 
should  be  effected  and  a  canning  demonstration  arranged  for 
at  a  later  date. 

Canning  School — A  Canning  School  devoting  a  whole  day 
or  even  several  days  may  be  planned.  Arrangements  for  such 
a  meeting  should  be  made  several  days  in  advance  to  be  sure  that 
heat,  water,  seats,  utensils,  jars,  seasonings,  and  products  are  on 
hand. 

Publicity — Advertise  the  meeting  widely  through  the  local 
papers  and  by  announcement  at  schools,  churches,  granges,  and 
other  public  meetings.  Handbills  may  be  distributed  and  an- 
nouncements posted  in  public  places. 

Products  to  Can — Ask  the  local  people  to  bring  in  fruits 
and  vegetables  to  can,  but  it  is  wise  for  the  demonstrator  also  to 
provide  some  products.  This  latter  precaution  insures  having 
some  products  on  hand,  and  the  demonstrator  by  selecting  high 
grade  food  products  is  sure  of  some  first  class  examples  of  canned 
goods  which  will  do  justice  to  the  method,  and  which  if  desired 
may  serve  for  a  permanent  exhibit. 

A  canning  demonstration  should  demonstrate  method;  the 
demonstrator  should  not  attempt  to  can  up  all  the  fruit  and 
vegetables  in  the  community.  Three  kinds  of  products  are 
enough;  never  use  more  than  four.  More  makes  it  difficult  to 
get  the  products  ready,  to  arrange  for  sufficient  water  for 
blanching,  and  time  for  cooking.  The  small  number  concentrates 
attention. 

Can  one  fruit  (quick  cooking),  one  root  vegetable,  tomatoes, 
and  if  a  fourth  is  desired,  corn,  beans,  greens,  sweet  potatoes, 
pumpkin,  or  some  other  vegetable  not  commonly  canned.  Con- 
sider, too,  the  time  available  and  do  not  undertake  to  can  prod- 
ucts which  cannot  be  prepared  and  canned  in  the  time  given 
to  the  meeting. 

4 


START    SOMETHING 


Assistants — A  demonstrator  needs  two  helpers,  more  are  in 
the  way.  It  is  an  advantage  to  have  one  helper  who  is  familiar 
with  the  work  so  that  he  can  supervise  the  work  of  preparing, 
packing,  and  cooking  the  product,  maintaining  the  desired  de- 
gree of  heat,  directing  the  volunteer  helpers,  and  to  keep  things 
moving  so  as  to  give  the  audience  the  most  possible  in  the  time 
spent.  This  leaves  the  lecturer  free  to  give  all  his  attention  to 
making  clear  the  steps  and  driving  home  the  importance  and 
advantage  of  the  canning  work. 

To  avoid  mistakes,  and  secure  the  best  results,  the  lecturer 
or  his  assistant  should  personally  see  that  the  packing  is  prop- 
erly done,  fit  the  rubbers  and  covers,  and  set  the  jars  in  the 
cooker.  Someone  in  the  audience  may  be  designated  to  keep 
the  time  but  this,  too,  should  be  checked  by  the  assistant.  Mark 
the  time  on  a  blackboard  if  there  is  one  in  the  room. 

Canning  Outfit — A  home-made  hot  water  outfit  and  glass 
jars  should  be  used  for  a  first  demonstration.  This  prevents 
the  audience  from  getting  the  impression  that  it  is  necessary  to 
have  an  elaborate  equipment.  With  a  Hot  Water  outfit  each  jar 
can  be  set  in  as  packed ;  with  a  Steam  Pressure,  the  cooker  cannot 
be  opened  after  cooking  begins.  In  giving  a  demonstration  it  is 
sometimes  an  advantage  to  have  a  steam  cooker  for  corn,  sweet 
potatoes,  and  such  other  vegetables  as  require  long  cooking.  A 
steam  cooker  makes  it  possible  to  finish  cooking  such  products 
and  exhibit  the  results  at  the  close  of  the  meeting. 

Try  to  locate  the  canning  outfit  so  that  it  is  convenient  to 
water.  If  no  water  is  handy,  a  large,  portable  tank  with  faucet, 
such  as  is  used  for  patent  stock  watering  troughs,  is  a  good 
arrangement. 

Get  Action — At  the  close  of  the  lecture,  suggest,  or  arrange 
with  a  local  worker  to  move,  the  appointment  of  a  committee  to 
report  on  the  organization  of  a  canning  club  and  to  take  steps 
to  secure  a  county  canning  club  leader.  A  canning  demonstra- 
tion or  lecture  should  never  be  considered  an  entertainment.  It 
may  give  information  and  arouse  interest,  but  it  should  also 
look  to  some  definite  work  for  the  year. 

V 


CANNING   SNAP   BEANS— Preparing  the  Product 


1— Wash  the  beans  clean 


2— Snip  the  ends  and  string 


3— Blanch  in  hot  water 


mm 

4 — Plunge  into  cold  water 


CANNING  SNAP  BEANS— Packing  and  Cooking 


5— Pack  close 


6— Do  not  seal  tight 


7— Cook  lYz  hours 


8— Seal  tight  at  once 


LEATHER 

CASE 


PAN  LIFTER. 

?tS  ^  r\ 

I  CAN  FILTER    gHBfe 

COOKER  WIRE  BASKET 

MEASURING  CUP 


SIX  PANS 


SPOONS 


JATl 
HOLDERS 


KNIVES 


TYPES    OF  JARS 


CHEESECLOTH  TOWEL 
APRON.  AND    CAP 


VOX 


CANNING- 
LEAPLET^ 
FROM  IM  DEPT.  OF  AGRICULTURE 


BOOKLETS 


CANNING  CHART 


A  DEMONSTRATOR'S  KIT  FOR  LOCAL  WORK 

The  demonstrator  should  carry  with  her  for  community  and  county  work, 
the  articles  illustrated  above.  The  community  in  which  the  meeting  is  held  should 
furnish  two  gasoline  stoves  with  two  large  burners  each,  gasoline,  a  long  table, 
chairs,  a  pail,  dishpan,  jars,  salt,  sugar,  and  produce  to  can. 

Two  2-burner  stoves  are  more  convenient  than  one  4-burner. 

The  pans  and  pan  lifter  pack  more  easily  than  a  stewpan  with  a  handle. 
If  the  jar-holders  cannot  be  secured,  a  rack  of  perforated  tin  or  lath  as  described  on 
Chart  IV  may  be  substituted.  The  rack  may  also  be  used  when  blanching  in  steam. 

It  is  wise  to  have  on  hand  some  small  rubber  bands,  some  heavy  cord,  tacks, 
nails,  hammer,  wrench,  heavy  paper  or  oilcloth  for  covering  table,  and  if  can- 
ning in  tin  is  to  be  demonstrated,  a  supply  of  cans,  solder,  flux,  sal  am- 
moniac, capper,  tipper,  hand-sealer,  and  sanitary  seal  cans. 

8 


Home  Canning 
By  the  Cold  Pack  Method 

Cold  Pack  Canning  simply  means :  Packing  the  Product  Un- 
cooked and  Cooking  It  in  the  Closed  Jar. 

By  this  method  it  is  possible  for  anyone  to  can  at  home,  in 
one  process,  any  food  product,  and  know  that  it  will  keep. 

We  waste  every  year,  quantities  of  the  vegetables  and 
fruits  grown — string 
beans,  sweet  corn, 
tomatoes,  peaches, 
apples  and  other 
products. 

These  foods  are 
needed  somewhere. 
Indeed,  we  need  them 
at  home.  They  should 
be  canned  for  winter 
use;  or,  they  may  be 
sold;  or  given  to  less 
fortunate  people.  A 
gift  of  healthful, 
home-canned  food  is 
always  welcome. 

We  Americans  are 
the      most      wasteful 
people  in  the  world.    We  can  help  in  the  new  movement  to  pro- 
mote Thrift  by  canning  the  food  from  gardens  and  orchards. 

In  every  garden,  bushels  of  tomatoes  are  wasted  every  year. 
If  we  saved  only  the  tomatoes,  that  would  be  well  worth  while. 

Cold  Pack  Canning  isn't  a  difficult  process.  The  boys  and 
girls  of  the  Home  Canning  Clubs  of  the  country,  directed  by  the 
Office  of  Extension  Work  of  the  IT.  S.  Department  of  Agricul- 
ture, are  canning  thousands  of  jars  of  food  products  by  this 
method. 

A  member  of  a  Canning  Club  is  expected  to  plant,  cultivate, 
and  can  the  product  from  at  least  a  tenth  acre  of  ground.  What 
this  means  is  shown  on  Chart  I. 


. 

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Hi       1         H                  ,  -  -.-                .:?->-"-        "*;      f*  •"•          •     -".  '-::       "         "--             .          :••"-'. 

n 

AGRICULTURAL 
LECTURE  CHARTS 

•••• 

HOME 

CANNING 

BY  THE 

COLD   PACK 
METHOD 

*                                                                                                 r. 

PREPARED  BY 

INTERNATIONAL  HARVESTER.  COMPANY 

OF  NEW  JERSEY             CHICAGO 

1 

COVER  CHART 


9 


CHART    I 
DON'T  WASTE  IT;  CAN  IT 

Three-fifths  of  a  ton  of  tomatoes  is  an  average  crop  from 

_     1/10  acre. 


DON'T  WASTE  IT     CAN  IT 


A  CAN  OF  FRUIT 

A  CAN  OF  GREENS 

A  CAN  OF  VEGETABLES 

FOR  EVERY  DAY  IN  THE  YEAR 


CHART  I 


They  sell  fresh  at 
$8  to  $10  per  ton. 
Let  us  say  the  crop 
from  1/10  acre  is 
worth  $6  wholesale. 
Three-fifths  of  a  ton 
of  tomatoes  canned 
averages  forty  dozen 
quarts,  and  at  the 
average  jobber's  price 
of  75c  per  dozen  is 
worth  $30.  Retailed 
at  15c  per  can  they 
are  worth  $72.  Such 
a  saving  is  worth 
while. 


A  Can  of  Fruit,  a  Can  of  Vegetables,  and  a  Can  of  Greens, 
for  Every  Family,  for  Every  Day  in  the  Year  when  the  gar- 
den is  not  producing — this  is  the  slogan  of  the  Home  Canning 
Clubs  of  the  United  States. 


A    Canning    Demonstration   Before   the    Waveland,    Intl.,    Woman's 

Auxiliary 


10 


CHART  II 
WHY?     WHY  CAN  IT? 

Gives  Greater  Variety  —  Is  Wholesome  —  Saves  Doctor 
Bills — We  Like  It.    Canned  foods  retain  the  natural  juices  and 
flavors,  and  in  addition  to  being  nutritious  and  healthful,  are 
tasty.    We  like  them. 
A    large    percent- 
age of  the  medicines 
sold  are  patent  laxa- 


tives. We  could  do 
without  most  of  the 
patent  laxatives  if  we 
ate  more  fresh  and 
canned  fruits  and 
succulent  vegetables. 

Why  should  we 
limit  our  diet  to 
meat,  bread,  and  po- 
tatoes three  times  a 
day,  when  tons  of 
fruits  and  vegetables 
go  to  waste? 

Our  efficiency  de- 
pends on  what  we 


WHY 


GIVES   GREATER   VARIETY 

IS   WHOLESOME 

SAVES   DOCTOR    BILLS 

WE   LIKE   IT 

IS  READY  TO  SERVE  WHEN  WANTED 

HOME    CANNING 

SAVES  PRODUCTS  NOW  WASTED 
CUTS   DOWN,  COST   OF   LIVING 
ADDS   TO   INCOME 
TRAINS  IN  USEFUL  WORK 

ANSWERS  THE  QUESTION 

WHAT  SHALL  WE  HAVE  FOR  DINNER 


CHART  II 


eat.  An  unbalanced  diet  means  slow,  stupid,  headachy,  ill-tem- 
pered people.  If  we  canned  more  fruits  and  vegetables,  we 
would  eat  more  of  these  and  less  of  the  heavy  foods. 

Is  Ready  to  Serve  When  Wanted —  In  an  emergency — a  re- 
quest at  eleven  o  'clock  to  have  dinner  an  hour  early ;  unexpected 
company  arriving  just  as  dinner  is  served;  the  housewife  com- 
ing home  late  after  a  day  spent  shopping,  or  calling,  or  at  church 
—think  of  the  comfort  of  knowing  that  there  are  on  the  shelves : 
home-canned  soups,  meats,  vegetables,  greens,  fruits,  and  fruit 
juices. 

If  she  keeps  her  shelves  well  stocked,  any  housewife  can 
prepare  a  good  dinner  any  time,  in  the  few  minutes  required  to 
open  the  jars  and  heat  the  products. 


11 


HOME  CANNING 

By  Home  Canning  we  mean  the  canning  commonly  done  by 
the  housewife,  and  also  that  done  by  the  Boys'  and  Girls'  Clubs, 
in  back  yards  and  on  club  plots. 

Saves  Products  Now  Wasted  —  Cuts  Down  the  Cost  of 
Living — Adds  to  the  Income.  There  may  be  no  demand  for 
the  fresh  products  near  home  because  everyone  grows  some  gar- 
den. Or,  the  surplus  is  so  small  it  is  not  marketed;  or,  even  if 
the  grower  is  selling  some  garden  produce,  there  are  the  "sec- 
onds" which  do  not  sell  readily.  Then  there  are  the  products 
which  are  difficult  to  can — those  which  would  not  keep  when 
canned  in  the  old  way.  Cold  Pack  Canning  at  Home  will  save 
these  foods.  Home  canned  fruits  and  vegetables  reduce  the 
grocery  bill.  It  costs  less  to  can  them  than  to  buy  them,  fresh 
or  canned,  and  they  also  cost  less  than  the  higher  priced,  less 
wholesome  foods  which  might  be  substituted  for  them. 

Trains  in  Useful  Work — Every  boy  and  girl  should  be 
trained  to  make  a  living.  We  learn  to  do  by  doing,  not  by  read- 
ing how  it  is  done. 

A  combination  of  a  plot  of  Ground,  a  Club  Member,  and  a 
Canning  Outfit  has  great  possibilities. 

Home  Canning  Answers  the  Question,  "What  Shall  We 
Have  for  Dinner  ?"  and  answers  it  in  a  way  that  gives  a  varied 
menu  for  every  day  in  the  week,  and  helps  make  Sunday  a  real 
day  of  rest,  for  Mother  as  well  as  for  Father  and  the  Boys. 


A  Group  of  Club  Leaders  Training  for  Field  Work,  in  the  Canning: 
Kitchen  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture 

12 


CHART  III 

ANYONE  CAN  CAN  ANY  PRODUCT  BY  THE 
COLD  PACK  METHOD 

How  It  Is  Dane  —  Cold  Pack  Canning  simply  means  to  scald 
or  blanch  and  cold  dip  all  vegetables,  pack  uncooked,  and  cook 
in  the  closed  jar. 

Scalding  is  a  familiar  term;  in  canning  it  is  understood  al- 
ways   to    mean    im- 
mersing    in     boiling 
water,  or,  steaming. 

Blanching  is  more 
commonly  known  as 
parboiling.  It  means 
that  the  product  is 
left  in  the  boiling  wa- 
ter, or  the  steamer, 
for  a  longer  period 
than  is  indicated  by 
scalding.  The  time 
varies  for  different 


ANYONE  CAN  CAN  ANY  PRODUC" 
BY  THE  COLD  PACK  METHOD 

HOW  IT  IS  DONE 

SCALD  OR  BLANCH 

AND  COLD  DIP  ALL  VEGETABLES 
PACK  THE  PRODUCT  UNCOOKED 
CLOSE  THE  JAR 
COOK  IT  IN  THE  CLOSED  JAR 

WHY  COOK  IN  JAR 

THE  PRODUCT  IS  BETTER 
IT  STERILIZES  COMPLETELY 
PREVENTS  ANY  BACTERIA  GETTING  IN 
SAVES  WORK   AND  TIME 


TAKES  THE  DRUDGERY  OUT  OF  CANNING 

IT  IS  THE  ONLY  SURE   WAY 


CHART  III 


products. 

Cold  -  dip  means 
plunging  at  once  into 
cold  water  and  out 
again. 

Do  not  neglect  blanching.  It  eliminates  objectionable  acids 
and  acrid  flavors,  makes  it  unnecessary  to  exhaust,  or  use  the 
intermittent  process  in  canning,  and  is  one  of  the  important  steps 
in  the  '  *  double  shock ' '  treatment  before  cooking.  It  also  shrinks 
the  product. 


Bacteria  Cannot  Get  Into  a  Closed  Jar 

13 


14 


COOK   PEODUCTS    IN   CLOSED    JARS 


All  vegetables  must  be  blanched  and  cold  dipped.  Many  of 
the  fruits  do  not  need  blanching,  but  those  which  are  scalded 
or  blanched  must  be  cold  dipped  at  once. 

Pack  the  Product  Uncooked — Of  course,  such  products  as 
are  blanched  or  scalded  are  heated  a  trifle;  but  many  of  the 
fruits  are  packed  fresh  without  blanching  and  in  every  case  the 
real  cooking  is  done  in  the  jar. 

Close  the  Jar — If  we  are  canning  in  glass  we  do  not  seal 
the  jar  but  close  it  lightly.  Heating  the  contents  causes  steam 
to  form  and  if  no  outlet  is  provided,  the  pressure  of  the  ex- 
panding steam  might  be  sufficient  to  break  the  glass. 

If  we  are  canning  in  tin,  we  seal  the  can  tight.  The  tin  will 
give  enough  to  allow  for  the  expansion,  and  as  the  contents  cool, 
the  can  will  return  to  its  original  shape. 

Cook  It  in  the  Closed  Jar — Cooking,  sterilizing,  or  process- 
ing as  it  is  called  in  commercial  use,  means  heating  to  the  point 
necessary  to  keep.  The  time  required  for  cooking  varies  with 
the  kind  of  product  and  the  kind  of  outfit.  (See  time-table, 
back  cover.) 

WHY  COOK  IN  THE  CLOSED  JAR? 

The  Product  Is  Better — It  is  better  in  color,  in  flavor,  and 
in  texture.  It  is  not  crushed,  nor  cooked  until  it  is  mushy;  in- 
stead of  a  conglomerate  mass,  each  berry  or  slice  is  distinct. 

It  Sterilizes  Completely — Prevents  Any  Bacteria  Getting 

In — If  the  product  is  put  into  the  jar,  the  jar  closed,  and  the 
product  cooked  in  the  closed  jar,  we  are  certain  the  organisms 
which  were  present  are  killed;  and  the  sealed  jar  prevents  any 
bacteria  which  may  be  in  the  air  from  getting  in  after  the  prod- 
uct has  been  cooked. 


Still  Doing  His  Best  But  Can't   Get  In 


TAKE  THE  DRUDGERY  OUT  OF  CANNING 


By  the  old  open-kettle  or  hot-pack  method,  it  is  impossible 
to  know  that  any  given  jar  or  product  is  perfectly  sterilized. 
Even  when  the  products,  the  jars,  the  rubbers,  and  the  covers 
have  been  sterilized  there  is  still  danger  of  bacteria  getting  in 
while  the  cooked  product  is  being  dipped  from  the  kettle  into 
the  jar. 

It  Saves  Work  and  Time — By  this  method  it  is  only  a 
trifle  more  work  to  can  a  half  bushel  than  it  is  to  can  a  quart. 
Once  the  product  is  prepared  and  put  into  the  jar,  it  is  as  easy 
to  cook  a  dozen  jars,  if  the 
cooker  is  large  enough,  as  it  is 
to  cook  one,  and  it  requires 
no  more  time. 

It  eliminates  entirely  the 
hot,  trying  work  of  dipping 
from  the  kettle  to  the  jar. 

When  canning  with  the 
open  kettle,  it  is  just  as  neces- 
sary to  sterilize  the  jars  care- 
fully, to  test  rubbers,  to  fit 
tops,  and  to  seal  perfectly,  at 
the  last  minute,  with  the  very 
last  jar,  at  the  end  of  a  long, 
hot,  tiresome  day  when  one  is 
finishing  a  large  lot,  as  it  is 
the  first  hour  of  the  morning. 


A  House  wif  e 
Showing  the 
Racks  She 
Used— a  Shelf 
From  the  Ice 
Box,  and  a 
Home  -  Made 
Lath  Rack 


By  the  Cold  Pack  method, 
the  work  which  needs  care  is  all  done  in  the  beginning  when  the 
worker  is  fresh. 

Then  we  do  not  have  to  watch  the  pack  all  the  time  it  is 
cooking.  There  is  no  danger  of  "burning  the  kettle." 

When  cooking  fruits  or  vegetables  in  the  jar  one  needs  only 
to  note  the  time  when  boiling  begins  (or,  if  using  a  steam  out- 
fit, when  the  required  steam  pressure  is  reached)  and  the  worker 
may  then  go  about  other  work,  setting  an  alarm  clock  to  ring 
when  it  is  time  to  take  the  product  off  the  fire. 

It  Takes  the  Drudgery  Out  of  Canning — We  no  longer 
dread  the  canning  season.  Canning  by  this  method  is  an  inter- 


]6 


POOR   SEALS   MEAN   SPOILED   FOOD 


esting,  business-like  proposition ;  not  drudgery.  It  is  pleasanter 
to  pack  fresh  vegetables  in  a  cool  room,  than  to  pack  hot  vege- 
tables in  a  hot  room. 

To  sum  up :    By  the  cold  pack  method, 

Anyone   can   can   any   food   product — fruits,    vegetables, 
meats,  fruit  juices,  greens,  soups,  fish,  game,  or  fowl. 
The  work  is  easier,  pleasanter,  and  more  interesting  than 
by  the  hot  pack,  or  the  three-day,  intermittent  method. 
The  product  is  better,  and,  finally, 
It  Is  the  Only  Sure  Way. 


USE  WHAT  YOU   HAVE 


CHART  IV 
USE  WHAT  YOU  HAVE 

Use  the  jars  and  cooker  you  have. 

We  do  not  need  to  buy  any  special  outfit.  We  can  do  Cold 
Pack  canning  with  any  style  of  glass  jar  or  tin  can,  except  those 

which  are  sealed  with 
wax.  Use  the  size 
and  style  jar  which 
suits  you.  If  we  have 
no  special  canning 
outfit,  a  large  kettle, 
or  can,  or  pail,  or 
even  the  boiler,  will 
do  for  a  cooker. 

Glass  Jars,  Tops, 
and  Rubbers  —  Im- 
perfectly sealed  jars 
are  probably  respon- 
sible for  more  spoiled 
canned  goods  than 
any  other  one  cause. 

Before    beginning    to 
CHART  IV  can>    fit    the    topg    to 

the  jars,  and  test  the  rubbers.  Wash  the  jars,  tops,  and  rubbers 
in  hot  soap-suds  and  rinse  in  boiling  water.  If  the  tops  are  old 
boil  them  in  water  to  which  a  little  soda  has  been  added.  If 
they  cannot  be  cleaned  so  as  to  be  perfectly  sanitary  and  also 
to  look  clean  and  neat,  do  not  use  them — get  new  ones. 


DO   NOT  BEGIN  TO  COUNT  TIME 
UNTIL  WATER  IS   BOILING 

KEEP    AT    A   LIVELY   BOIL 


TEST   ALL   JAES   AND    RUBBERS 


17 


Place  the  jars  and  tops  in  a  kettle  of  warm  water  and  allow  it 
to  come  to  a  boil.  Leave  them  in  the  boiling  water  until  you  are 
ready  to  fill  them. 

Rubbers  should  not  be  boiled  to  sterilize  them  but  should  be 
cleaned  by  washing  in  hot  water  to  which  a  little  soda  has  been 
added.  Too  prolonged  heating  injures  the  rubbers,  and  as  they 
have  to  stand  long  boiling  on  the  jars  it  is  unnecessary  to  sub- 
ject them  to  the  extra  strain. 

Use  new  rubbers.  Rubbers  bought  new  from  the  store  are 
not  always  new;  they  may  have  been  carried  over  from  last 
year's  stock. 

Rubbers  which  are  extra  thick  and  wide  are  not  necessarily 
good  rubbers.  They  may  lack  elasticity,  they  may  be  unneces- 
sarily wide,  or  so  thick  they  do  not  permit  the  cap  of  the  can  to 
screw  down  tight. 

Testing  Rubber  Rings 

Buy  as  good  rubbers  as  you  can  get, 
then  test  for  elasticity  by  pulling  one 
or  more  times  to  see  if  they  return  to 
shape  and  do  not  break.  Turn  and 
stretch  the  rubber  so  that  all  parts  of 
it  are  subject  to  the  strain. 


Turn  and  Stretch  the 
Rubber 


Testing  Jars  and  Covers 

Screw  Top  Jars — Put  the  top  on  with- 
out the  rubber;  screw  down  as  tight  as  pos- 
sible. If  the  thumb  nail  can  be  inserted 
between  the  cover  and  the  jar  at  any  point 
of  its  circumference,  either  the  cover  or  jar 
is  defective.  Sometimes  the  edge  of  the  cover 
can  be  bent  down  to  make  the  joint  tight. 


Testing  the  Cover 


The   Cover    Should 

Fit   So  Tight  That 

the  Rubber  Cannot 

Slip   Back 


Next,  place  the  rubber  on  the  jar,  and  screw 
the  cover  down  with  the  thumb  and  little 
finger  in  the  same  way  as  when  preparing  the 
jar  for  cooking  the  product.  Catch  hold  of 
the  rubber  and  pull  it  out,  and  then  let  it 
fly  back.  If  it  slips  into  place  under  the 
cover,  the  cover  is  not  a  good  fit  and  either 
the  cover  or  the  jar  should  be  discarded. 
Third,  run  the  thumb  around  the  surface  on 


18 


ANY   STYLE  JAR  OK   TIN  CAN  MAY  BE   USED 


Smoothing  the  Edge 


which  the  rub- 
ber rests.  If  the 
edge  of  the  jar 
or  the  cover  is 
rough  it  will 
cut  the  rubber. 
Sometimes  with 
a  file  or  an  old  knife  a  rough  edge 

Testing  for  Rough  Edges          may     ^     mbbed     smooth,     using     Care 

not  to  turn  the  edge  and  spoil  the  seal. 

Jars  with  Composition  Attached  to  Cover — Set  the  cover  on 
the  jar  and  tap  all  the  way  around  the  edge  to  see  if  the  cover 
sits  level  on  the  jar.     If  it  rocks  at  any 
point,  this  indicates  a  defect  in  either 
the  cover  or  the  jar. 

The  composition  attached  to  covers 
sometimes  deteriorates  with  age,  even  if 
the  cover  has  not  been  used.  In  buying 
covers  with  rubber  attached,  be  sure 
they  have  not  been  carried  over  from 
last  season.  Old  covers  of  this  type 
should  be  thrown  away. 

Glass  Top  with  Spring  Clamp — Put  the  cover  in  place 
without  the  rubber,  set  the  spring,  and  press  the  clamp  down. 
If  the  thumb  nail  can  be  inserted  between  the  cover  and  the  jar, 
the  spring  is  not  tight  enough.  To 
remedy,  disengage  the  ends  of  the 
top  spring  from  the  eyelets  at  the 
side.  Holding  a  side  of  the  bail  in 
each  hand,  press  down  with  the 
thumbs  on  each  side  of  the  top  bar. 
This  will  cause  it  to  fit  closer  to  the 
cover  and  increase  the  pressure.  Re- 
turn the  spring  to  the  jar  and  test 
again.  Sometimes  the  glass  covers  of  these  jars  break  because 
the  spring  fits  too  tight. 

Jars  with  Wide  Mouths— Jars  with  wide  mouths,  straight 
sides,  and  lacquered  or  glass  tops  are  usually  preferred.  They 
clean  and  pack  more  easily,  and  will  take  large  fruits  and  vege- 
tables whole. 


Testing  a   Vacuum  Seal 
Jar 


Bending    the   Bail    to 
Tighten   It 


Home-Made  Cookers 

Cooker  —  The  cooker  must  be  at  least  three  inches  deeper 
than  the  tallest  jar  to  be  used.  This  allows  room  for  a  rack  on 
which  to  set  the  jars,  space  for  the  water  to  come  ''one  inch  above 
the  top  of  the  tallest  jar/'  and  an  extra  inch  and  a  quarter  so  it 
will  not  boil  over.  (See  drawing  on  Chart  IV,  Page  13.) 

It  is  an  advantage  to  have  the  Cooker  at  least  thirteen  or 
fourteen  inches  deep,  as  it  makes  it  possible  to  have  in  it  enough 
water  so  that  when  the  jars  of  fruits  and  vegetables  are  set  in, 
the  water  will  not  stop  boiling. 

For  demonstration  work  at  school  use  a  Lunch  Pail.  It  will 
hold  one  can  at  a  time.  The  food  canned  may  form  the  basis  of 
a  warm  lunch  next  winter. 

For  community  demonstration  and  for  quantity  canning  at 
home,  a  large,  covered  Galvanized  Pail,  such  as  is  sold  for  a 
garbage  pail,  is  perhaps  the  best  home-made  outfit. 

A  Tin  or  Galvanized  Water  Pail,  Lard  Can,  or  Coffee  Can 
will  hold  several  jars  at  once  and  if  covered  to  hold  the  heat,  will 
serve  very  well.  A  Kettle  deep  enough  and  large  enough  makes 
a  good  cooker.  The  Reservoir  may  be  used,  although  canning 
in  a  reservoir  is  apt  to  be  wasteful  of  fuel. 

If  nothing  else  is  available  a  Clean 
Wash-Boiler  may  be  used.  It  is  deep 
enough;  the  sides  are  straight;  it  has  a 
close  fitting  cover.  It  requires  two  lids 
or  burners  of  the  stove,  and  we  prefer 
not  to  give  so  much  space  to  the  cooker, 
as  we  need  room  for  blanching,  making 
syrup,  and  keeping  the  cans  hot. 

Jars  must  not  sit  directly  on  the  bot- 
tom of  the  cooker.  The  contents  would 
become  too  hot  and  exhaust  under  the 
cover  and  part  of  the  product  be  lost; 
glass  jars  might  break. 

Jar  Holders  —  If  it  is  possible  to  se- 
cure individual  holders  for  each  jar 
such  as  are  shown  in  the  picture,  or  of 
a  similar  type,  this  is  a  good  plan.  If 
it  is  impossible  to  buy  or  make  such 
holders,  then  we  may  make  a  false  bot- 


Handy  Jap  Holder_ol,_ 

serve    the    Projection 
on  the  Ban  Causing  it 

to  Stand  Up  fop  Easy 


19 


20 


KEEP   WATEK   BOILING 


torn  or  Tray  of  lath,  wire,  or  perforated  board  or  tin.  This  tray 
should  rest  on  slats  so  it  is  three-fourths  of  an  inch  to  an  inch 
above  the  bottom  of  the  cooker. 

Five  or  six  lath,  or  pieces  of  similar  width  and  thickness, 
nailed  firmly  to  three  cross-pieces,  forms  a  good  bottom. 

Shape  the  ends  to  fit  the  cooker  and  make  a  rim  all  around 
the  edge.    This  prevents  the  cans  falling  off  if  the  tray  is  lifted 

hurriedly. 

Some  heavy  wire  for 
handles  should  be  fas- 
tened to  the  cross-pieces, 
not  to  the  rim,  of  this 
rack.  Do  not  fasten 
them  to  the  rim  of  the 
tray  or  the  weight  of 
the  jars  may  cause  the 
bottom  to  fall  out  and 
we  shall  lose  our  pack. 

Make  two  wire  bails 
with  hooks  at  each  end, 
and  attach  these  to  the 
loops  so  the  tray  can  be 
lifted  with  two  hands. 
If  desired,  the  ends  may 
be  bent  to  hook  over  the 
edge  of  the  cooker,  thus 
lifting  the  tray  above  the  water  while  the  cans  are  being  removed. 


Lifting    a    Tray    of    Canned    Vegetables 
From  the  Cooker.     Home-made  Tray 


Summary:  We  can  do  Cold  Pack  canning  with  any  style 
of  glass  jars  or  tin  cans  which  we  can  use  for  hot-pack  canning 
(except  the  wax-sealed  tin  cans)  and  in  any  cooking  outfit 
that  is  deep  enough. 

Here  are  two  cautions  for  using  hot  water  outfits : 

First:  Do  not  begin  to  count  time  until  the  water  is  boil- 
ing. Water  is  not  boiling  when  small  bubbles  appear  on  the 
bottom  of  the  kettle,  nor  even  when  they  form  all  around  the 
sides,  and  rise  to  the  top  of  the  water.  It  must  bubble  hard 
all  over  the  top. 

Second :     Keep  at  a  lively  boil  until  the  time  is  up. 


FACTORY  MADE  OUTFITS 

It  is  true  that  it  is  quite  possible  to  use  whatever  we  have, 
and  probably  many  of  us  will  wish  to  try  out  one-period,  cold 
pack  canning  with  a  home-made  outfit  before  we  invest  in  a 
factory-made  canner;  but  when  we  begin  to  can  in  quantities, 
we  shall  just  as  certainly  wish  to  provide  ourselves  with  a  regular 
factory-made  outfit,  designed  to  give 
and  maintain  an  even  temperature, 
and  to  sterilize  rapidly  enough  to 
handle  large  quantities. 

There  are  several  good  types  of  out- 
fits, and  the  profits  from  one  season's 
work  will  more  than  pay  for  one. 

Most  firms  which  make  canning  out- 
fits manufacture  some  styles  which  are 
self -heating ;  that  is,  for  a  slightly 
higher  price,  a  canner  with  its  own  fire- 
box which  can  be  used  out  of  doors  or 
in  a  special  room  may  be  secured. 
These  are  especially  desirable  for  com- 
munity work. 

In  Steam  Outfits  the  jars  do  not  Sit  A  Steam  Canner 

in  water,  but  in  a  tray  or  crate  above  the  water.  A  small 
amount  of  water  in  the  cooker  forms  steam  in  which  the  prod- 
ucts are  sterilized. 

A  High-Pressure,  All-Aluminum  Steam  Cooker  is  especially 
desirable  for  use  in  high  altitudes,  and  for  products  such  as  corn, 

pumpkin,  etc.,  which  require  a  high 
temperature  or  long  cooking. 

Products  cook  in  such  a  cooker 
in  one-third  the  time  required  with  a 
hot  water  outfit;  in  some  cases  the 
saving  of  time  is  even  greater  than 
that  mentioned.  The  all-aluminum 
boiler  can  be  subjected  to  intense  heat 
and  pressure.  This  one  will  carry  30 
Ibs.  pressure  and  for  canning  is  used 
at  10  to  15  Ibs. 

With  even  a  small  size  outfit  of 
this  type,  it  is  possible  to  can  as  rap- 
idly   as   with   a    large    outfit   which 
cooks  more  slowly. 
21 


The  Pressure  Cooker 


22 


STEAM  MAY  BE  USED  WITH  SAFETY 


The    Sprague    Safety 
Cooker 


A  Pressure   Cooker  is  much  used  west  of  the  Rockies  for 
preparing  meals  and  is  rapidly  coming  into  favor  in  the  east 
because  of  the  short  time  required  to 
cook  foods  in  it. 

Steam  Canners  are  of  aluminum, 
steel,  iron,  or  boiler  plate.  The  latter 
does  not  admit  quite  so  high  a  tempera- 
ture as  the  pressure  cooker. 

Safety  Steam  Cooker— The  Special 
feature  of  this  Cooker  is  that  the  top 
cannot  be  undamped  or  opened  in  any 
way  while  any  pressure  remains  in  the 
kettle.  This  prevents  the  operator  from 
being  burnt  or  scalded  by  escaping 
steam,  as  he  must  first  open  the  blow- 
oft'  valve  at  the  top  of  the  kettle  and 
allow  the  steam  to  escape  in  that  way. 
A  simple  and  ingenious  device  controlled 
by  the  pressure  inside  the  kettle  keeps 
the  cover  locked  on  until  the  steam  has  escaped. 

This  safety  provision  is  an  especial  advantage  with  young 

people  or  those  not 
accustomed  to 
working  with  steam 
pressure  outfits. 

Water-Seal 
Steam    Canners 

give  a  temperature 
slightly  above  boil- 
ing point.  These 
are  of  galvanized 
iron. 

The  cylindrical 
cover  sets  into  a 
double  jacket,  and  the  extra  air-space  helps  maintain  a  tempera- 
ture of  2°  above  the  boiling  point.  (In  the  altitude  of  Chicago, 
about  600  ft,  water  boils  between  210°  and  211°.) 

A  Rapid-heating  Firebox  is  a  feature  of  the  outfit  shown  on 
Page  23,  which  illustrates  this  type. 


The  Cover,  Kettle,  Jacket,  Heater,  and  Wire 
Crate  of  the  Safety  Cooker 


THE   BOILING   POINT  V ABIES   WITH   ALTITUDE 


Hot  Water  Bath  Outfits  may  be  of  tin,  copper, 
iron,  or  galvanized  iron.  In  the  hot  water  bath 
outfit,  enough  water  is  put  in  the  cooker  to  extend 
one  inch  above  the  tops  of  the  jars,  and  the  goods 
are  cooked  at  the  boiling  point. 

The  home-made  outfit  is  a  hot  water 
bath  outfit.  The  commercial  hot  water 
bath  outfits  are  similar  to  a  large  kettle 
except  that  they  are  manufactured  for 
use  in  canning  and  so  are  suited  in  size 
to  hold  jars  economically. 

Time-table — The  time-table  for  hot 
water  bath  outfits  is  based  on  quart  jars, 
cooked  at  212°.  In  high  altitudes  water 
boils  at  a  lower  temperature  and  so  it  is 
necessary  to  cook  products  longer.  See 
notes  under  "Time-table,"  page  52. 

The  time-table  for  steam  outfits  does 
not  vary,  but  is  the  same  for  all  altitudes. 


A.  Water-Seal  Steam  Out- 
fit   with    a    Rapid 
Heating;  Firebox 


Courtesy  Home  Canner  Co.,  Hickory,  N.  C. 

A  Group  of  Girls  Using  an  Out-Door  Commercial  Hot  Water  Bath  Outfit 


Other  Things  Needed 


In  addition  to  a  canning  outfit  and  cans,  we  need  sundry 
other  articles. 

Tables — If  several  are  to  help  in  canning,  be  sure  to  have 
plenty  of  table  space — one  long  table  or  several  smaller  ones  set 
end  to  end. 

Chairs — Plenty  of  them,  so  the  workers  will  not  tire  at  their 
work. 

Pail  for  Blanching — It  saves  time 
to  have  a  separate  pail,  pan,  or  kettle 
for  blanching.  In  this  way  products 
for  the  second  pack  can  be  blanched 
while  the  first  are  cooking.  Add  a 
cover  to  hold  heat  and  a  wire  basket 
for  blanching  in  steam. 

We  shall  also  need  a  piece  of  com- 
mon cheesecloth,  a  towel,  or  a  wire 
basket,  in  which  to  put  the  vege- 
tables for  lowering  them  into  the  hot 
water. 

Lifters — made  of  heavy  wire,  bent  as  shown  in  the  picture, 
to  form  a  hook  at  one  end  and  a  handle  at  the  other,  are  a  con- 
venience if  the  large  tray  is  used. 

The  Wire  Jar  Holder  (See  cut 
Page  16),  a  Duplex  Fork,  or  a 
Wire  Potato  Masher  of  the  type 
shown  on  Page  — ,  may  be  used  for 
lifting  single  jars  above  the  water 
so  they  can  be  lifted  out  with  the 
towel. 

Pails,  Pans,  Basins,  Sharp 
Knives,  Spoons,  a  Measuring  Cup, 
Can  Filler,  Colander,  etc.,  for  use  in  preparing  the  product ;  a 
Clock  to  time  the  processing,  Towels,  Labels,  Paste,  and  Brush 
for  labeling  cans;  if  we  are  canning  to  sell,  Scales  to  weigh  the 
filled  cans  and  see  that  each  is  standard  weight;  in  brief,  such 
utensils  and  supplies  as  are  necessary  to  quick,  accurate  work, 
should  be  provided. 


A  Covered  Steamer  Set  in  a 

Pail  Makes  a  Good  Outfit 

for  Blanching  in  Steam 


The  Dish  Pan  May  Be  Used  for 
the  Cold  Dip 


24 


NO   PRESERVATIVE    IS   NEEDED 


25 


Keep  a  Note  Book  of  Information  about  the  variety  and 
state  of  the  product,  time  blanched,  grade  of  syrup  used,  time 
cooked,  and  any  special  features  —  facts  which  might  affect 
quality  or  keeping. 

If  tomatoes  canned  after  such  and  such  a  date,  or  blanched 
or  cooked  too  long,  or  too  short,  a  time,  are  not  as  high  grade 
as  those  canned  under  other  circumstances,  that  is  a  good  thing 
to  know  so  our  next  year's  pack  may  be  improved. 

Date  All  Goods — It  helps  locate  them  and  is  an  index  as  to 
when  to  dispose  of  such  goods  as  are  best  within  a  limited  period 
after  canning. 


CHART  V 
STEPS  IN  COLD  PACK  CANNING 

No  Preservative  Needed — It  is  quite  unnecessary  to  use  any 
canning  compound  or  other  preservative.  Cooking  the  product 
in  a  closed  jar  according  to  the  instructions  given,  will  steri- 
lize any  food  so  that  it  will  keep  without  a  preservative. 

In  canning,  it  is 
well  to  begin  with  one 
product  only,  and 
with  only  a  small 
quantity.  Then  we 
are  not  hampered  by 
too  many  things  to  do 
all  at  once  and  can 
familiarize  ourselves 
absolutely  with  every 
step.  When  we  feel 
at  home  in  the  work, 
then  we  can  under- 
take larger  quantities 
and  new  varieties. 

Tomatoes  are  com- 
mon, are  easily  can- 
ned and  are  usually  CHART  V 
undertaken    first    in 

Boys'  and  Girls'  Club  Work.    We  shall  take  tomatoes  for  an  ex- 
ample and  follow  through  the  various  steps. 


STEPS  IN  COLD  PACK  CANNING 
NO    PRESERVATIVE   NEEDED 

SELECT  SOUND  PRODUCTS 

GRADE     WASH      TRIM 

SCALD  OR   BLANCH 

COLD  DIP  QUICKLY 

PACK  CAREFULLY  AND  CLOSELY 

ADD  HOT  WATER  OR   SYRUP 
PLACE  RUBBER  AND  COVER  ON  JAR 
DO  NOT  SEAL  GLASS  JARS  TIGHT 
COOK  PER  TIME-TABLE 

HOT  FIRE     PLENTY  OF  WATER 
THINGS   HANDY 


Canning  Tomatoes 

Select  Sound  Products — Select  fresh,  ripe,  firm  tomatoes. 

Grade,  Wash,  Trim — Grade  for  ripeness,  size,  and  quality; 
this  is  to  insure  a  high-grade  product.  We  could,  of  course,  can 
different  sizes  and  shades  together,  but  uniform  products  are 
more  pleasing  to  the  eye  and  will  sterilize  more  evenly.  If  the 
products  are  of  the  same  ripeness  and  quality,  the  entire  pack 
will  receive  the  proper  degree  of  cooking. 

Of  course,  we  wash  the  products  clean,  and  where  necessary 
trim  them — pare  apples,  string  beans,  silk  corn,  hull  berries 
— in  short,  prepare  them  as  may  be  necessary.  (In  the  case  of 
tomatoes  we  peel  and  remove  the  stem  end,  or  core,  after  scald- 
ing, so  we  will  pass  on  to  the  next  step.) 

Scald  or  Blanch — Scald  means  to  immerse  in  boiling  wa- 
ter. Blanching  is  a  longer  process.  Both  loosen  the  skin. 
Blanching  may  also  reduce  bulk,  and  drive  out  objectionable 
acids,  making  it  unnecessary  to  exhaust. 

Tomatoes  need  to  be  scalded  only  enough  to  loosen  the  skin. 

Have  ready  a  kettle  of  boiling  water.  Put  the  tomatoes  in 
a  wire  basket,  or,  lay  them  on  a  piece  of  cheese-cloth,  or  a  towel, 
twist  the  ends  together  to  form  a  sack,  and  let  this  down  into 
the  kettle.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  slip  a  rubber  band  around  the 
neck  of  this  sack  to  hold  the  ends  in  place.  The  ends  should 
be  long  enough  to  stand  up  out  of  the  water  and  so  avoid  danger 
of  burning  the  fingers  when  removing  the  product. 

Have  the  water  boiling  hard  and  leave  it  over  the  fire  so  they 
will  scald  quickly.  If  the  water  is  not  boiling  it  is  difficult  to 
loosen  the  skins  without  leaving  the  tomatoes  in  so  long  that 
the  pulp  becomes  soft. 

If  the  tomatoes  are  ripe  and  the  water  is  boiling,  one-half 
minute  to  one  minute  will  be  sufficient;  unripe  tomatoes  may 
require  longer.  A  little  experience  will  enable  us  to  tell  just 
when  they  are  scalded  enough. 

Do  not  leave  the  tomatoes  in  the  hot  water  until  the  skins 
break,  as  this  gives  them  a  fuzzy  appearance. 

Cold  Dip  Quickly —  Lift  the  tomatoes  out  of  the  hot  water 
and  plunge  them  immediately  into  cold  water,  or,  hold  them 
under  the  cold  water  faucet. 

26 


PACK  THE  PRODUCT  CLOSE 


27 


The  cold  dip  makes  them  easier  to  handle,  separates  the  skin 
from  the  pulp,  firms  the  texture,  arid  coagulates  the  coloring 
matter  so  it  stays  near  the  surface,  giving  them  a  rich,  red  color. 

Then  the  shock  due  to  the  sudden  change  from  hot  to  cold 
and  back  to  hot  again  seems  to  help  kill  the  spores. 

Do  not  let  the  product  stand  in  tlie  cold  dip.  The  water  be- 
comes lukewarm,  softens  the  product  and  allows  bacteria  to 
develop. 

Core  and  Peel  Tomatoes — Take  the  tomato  in  the  left  hand 
and  with  a  sharp  knife  cut  out  the  core.  Be  careful  not  to  cut 
into  the  fleshy  portion  or  seed  cells,  or  the  seeds  and  pulp  will 
be  scattered  through  the  liquid,  injuring  the  appearance  of  the 
product.  Cut  out  the  core  before  removing  the  skin,  as  the  skin 
will  protect  the  pulp  and  there  is  less  danger  of  breaking  the 
tomato. 

Pack  Carefully  and  Close — The  jars,  rubbers,  and  tops, 
should  be  ready.  Glass  jars  should  be  hot,  so  there  will  be  no 
danger  of  breakage  in  setting  them 
into  the  hot  water,  and  so  they  will 
not  cool  the  water  in  the  cooker  be- 
low the  boiling  point. 

Pack  the  tomatoes  whole,  press- 
ing and  shaking  them  well  down 
together,  but  not  using  force  enough 
to  crush  them. 

Add  Hot  Water  or  Syrup — 

The  instructions  on  the  chart  are 
general — hot  water  for  vegetables, 
hot  water  or  syrup  for  fruits. 
Tomatoes  are  an  exception;  as  a 
large  part  of  the  tomato  is  water, 
no  liquid  is  needed. 

Under  the  Pure  Food  law 
canned  tomatoes  to  which  water  or 
extra  juice  has  been  added  are  con-  Pack  the  *«»*««*  C1«se 

sidered  adulterated.  This  is  intended  to  protect  the  public 
against  unscrupulous  canners  who  might  slack  fill  the  can  with 
tomatoes  and  add  surplus  water  or  juice.  If  the  tomatoes  are 
to  be  sold,  therefore,  nothing  should  be  added  except  one  tea- 
spoon of  salt,  or,  salt  and  a  half  spoon  of  sugar  per  quart, 
for  seasoning. 


28  GLASS  JAES  SHOULD  NOT  BE  SEALED  FOE  COOKING 


If  the  tomatoes  are  to  be  used  at  home  they  may  simply 
be  packed  close  together,  or,  those  which  break  in  handling  may 
be  crushed  and  poured  over  the  whole  tomatoes  to  fill  the  spaces. 
Where  tomatoes  are  to  be  used  as  stewed  tomatoes,  or  for 
soups,  they  may  be  cut  in  pieces,  as  more  can  be  packed  in  the 
same  space  than  if  packed  whole,  but  do  not  fail  to  can  some 
whole  for  salads  and  exhibits. 

Jars  Do  Not  Need  to  Be  Full  in  Order  to  Keep.  By  the 
hot  pack  method  the  air  in  a  jar  which  is  only  part  full  has  not 
been  sterilized,  and  may  contain  bacteria  which  cause  the  product 
to  ferment  or  mold.  But  by  the  Cold  Pack,  the  air  in  the  jar 
is  sterilized  while  the  product  is  being  sterilized,  and  if  the  jar 
is  closed  before  cooking,  a  single  spoonful  may  be  canned  in  a 
two-quart  jar  and  the  product  will  keep  as  well  as  though  the 
jar  was  full. 

Place  Rubber  and  Cover  on 
Jar — Fit  the  rubber.  Use  good 
rubbers  and  see  that  they  lie  flat 
and  fit  close  up  to  the  jar.  Put 
the  covers  in  place. 

Do  Not  Seal  Glass  Jars 
Tight — If  using  screw  top  jars, 
screw  the  cover  down  until  it 
catches,  then  turn  a  quarter  of  an 
inch  back;  or  screw  down  with 
the  thumb  and  little  finger,  not  us- 
ing force,  but  stopping  when  the 
cover  catches. 

If  using  vacuum  seal  jars,  put 
the  cover  on  and  the  spring  in 
place.  The  spring  will  give  enough 
to  allow  the  steam  to  escape. 

In  using  glass  top  jars  with  the 
patent  wire  snap,  put  the  cover  in 
place,  the  wire  over  the  top,  and 
leave  fhe  clamp  up. 
The  cover  on  a  glass  jar  must  not  be  tight  while  the  product 
is  cooking,  because  the  air  will  expand  when  heated,  and  if  the 
cover  is  not  loose  enough  to  allow  the  steam  to  escape,  the  pres- 
sure may  blow  the  rubber  out,  or  break  the  jar. 

Set  in  Cooker — After  the  products  are  packed,  it  is  an  ad- 


Uslng  Thumb  and  Little  Finger 
to  Screw  Down  the  Cover 


DO  NOT  COUNT   TIME  UNTIL   THE  WATER  BOILS 


29 


vantage  to  cook  as  quickly  as  possible. 
Time  lost  in  bringing  the  contents  to  the 
point  of  sterilization  softens  the  product 
and  results  in  inferior  goods. 

For  most  products,  we  pack  in  hot  jars, 
fill   with   hot  water   or   syrup,   have   the 

Leave  the  Clamp  Up        water    in     ^     CQ()ker    boilingj     and    have 

enough  water  so  it  will  not  stop  boiling  when  the  jars  are  set  in. 
If  we  use  ordinary  good  sense  in  handling  the  jars,  we  will 
have  no  breakage.  But  tomatoes  are  only  slightly  warmed  in 
blanching,  and  as  we  add  no  hot  water,  the  jar  is  not  hot  enough 
to  make  it  safe  to  set  it  directly  into  boiling  water.  Jars  of 
tomatoes  should  be  set  in  warm  water  until  ready  to  place  in  the 
canner. 


Cook  Per  Time-Table — If  products  are  undercooked  they 
will  not  keep ;  if  they  are  overcooked  they  lose  flavor  and  texture. 

Tomatoes  sterilized  under 
boiling  water  require  twenty- 
two  minutes.  Berries,  apples, 
and  small  fruits,  will  process 
in  five  to  twenty  minutes; 
greens  require  twenty-five 
minutes  to  two  hours;  and 
sweet  corn,  forty-five  minutes 
to  three  hours,  according  to 
the  outfit.  (See  time-table  on 
back  cover.) 

Do  not  begin  to  count  time 
until  the  water  is  boiling. 

Hot  Fire,  Plenty  of  Wa- 
ter, Things  Handy  —  We 
must  be  able  to  secure  a  hot 
fire  quickly,  and  should  keep 
a  fairly  even  heat.  Do  not 
try  to  economize  on  water. 
We  must  have  plenty  of  clean 

water  to  wash  jars  and  products,  to  make  syrups  and  brines,  for 
use  in  blanching,  and,  if  we  are  using  a  hot-water  outfit,  for  use 
in  processing. 


Using  a  Wire 
Potato  Mash- 
er to  Lift  Can 
From  the 
Cooker 


CHART  VI 
FINISHING  THE  WORK 

Remove  Jars  From  the  Cooker — Do  Not  Expose  to 
Cold  Drafts — In  taking  canned  goods  from  boiling  hot  water, 
care  is  needed  to  see  that  they  are  protected  from  drafts. 

If  necessary  close  the 
windows  and  doors 
while  lifting  the  jars 


FINISHING    THE    WORK 


REMOVE  JARS  FROM  COOKER 

DO  NOT.  EXPOSE  TO  COLD  DRAFTS 


EXAMINE  RUBBERS     TIGHTEN  COVERS 
INVERT  TO  TEST  THE   JOINT  AND  COOL 

WRAP  TO  KEEP  OUT  LIGHT 
STORE  IN  COOL  DRY  PLACE 

STICK  TO  ONE   SET  OF  INSTRUCTIONS 

WORK  QUICKLY 

HAVE  EVERYTHING  CLEAN  AND  SANITARY 

ATTENTION  TO   LITTLE  THINGS 
PRODUCES   HIGH   GRADE   GOODS 

\       .  ®— 


out,  as  a  sudden  draft 
might  break  them. 


CHART  VI 


Examine  Rubbers. 
Tighten    Covers  — 

Examine  rubbers  to 
see  that  they  are  in 
place. 

Sometimes  if  the 
covers  are  screwed 
down  too  tight,  the 
pressure  of  the  steam 
from  the  inside  causes 
the  rubber  to  bulge 
out.  Simply  loosen 
the  cover  a  thread  or 
two  and  push  the  rubber  back  into  place  and  then  tighten.  In 
case  the  rubber  does  not  seem  to  fit  well,  or  seems  to  be  a  poor 
rubber,  it  should  be  replaced  by  a  new  one  and  the  jar  returned 
to  the  cooker  for  five  minutes. 

The  jars  should  ~be  sealed  tight — covers  screwed  down,  clamps 
put  in  place — immediately  after  they  are  removed  from  the 
cooker. 

Invert  to  Test  the  Joint  and  Cool — If  the  seal  is  not  per- 
fect, correct  the  fault,  and  return  the  jar  to  the  cooker  for  five 
minutes  if  hot,  ten  minutes  if  jar  is  cold. 

Do  Not  Invert  Vacuum  Seal  Jars.  These  should  be  allowed 
to  cool  and  then  be  tested  by  removing  the  spring  or  clamp,  and 
lifting  the  jars  by  the  cover  only.  Lift  the  jar  only  a  half 
inch,  holding  it  over  the  table  so  that  in  case  the  lid  does  not 
hold,  the  jar  and  contents  will  not  be  damaged.  Or,  better  still, 


30 


QUICK  WORK   HELPS  IN   KEEPING  31 

tap  around  the  edge  of  the  cover  with  a  rule.  An  imperfect 
seal  will  cause  a  hollow  sound. 

Wrap  to  Keep  Out  Light.     Store  in  a  Cool,  Dry  Place — 

Light  injures  some  canned  goods;  bacteria  breed  in  heat;  damp- 
ness favors  mould  and  may  cause  rust.  Canned  goods  are  best 
kept  at  a  temperature  below  70°  F. 

Canned  goods  exposed  to  very  unfavorable  conditions  may 
lose  the  delicate  flavor  and  color,  and  in  some  cases  may  even 
spoil. 

Do  not  spend  your  time  canning  fruits  or  vegetables  and 
then  allow  them  to  spoil  because  of  improper  handling  afterward. 
Do  not  condemn  factory  canned  goods  which  have  been  stored 
in  a  hot  room. 

Stick  to  One  Set  of  Instructions — If  you  have  several  dif- 
ferent sets  of  instructions  you  may  be  interested  to  try  out  each 
of  them  and  see  which  is  the  most  efficient,  the  least  labor,  and 
produces  the  most  satisfactory  results,  but  do  not  combine  two 
sets  of  instructions — you  will  be  certain  to  get  into  difficulty. 

Work  Quickly — Take  the  steps  in  rapid  succession:  The 
cold  dip  should  follow  the  blanch  immediately — the  product 
should  be  packed  and  hot  water  or  syrup  added  at  once — it 
should  be  processed  as  soon  as  possible  after  packing;  else  the 
beneficial  effects  of  shock  on  the  bacteria  will  be  neutralized. 
All  along  the  line,  quick  work  is  an  advantage,  is  safer,  and  pro- 
duces better  results.  If  we  are  to  can  in  quantities  we  must 
work  quickly  and  surely,  else  our  profits  will  vanish. 


O.  H.  Benson  and  Geo.  E.  Farrell  of  the  Office  of  Extension  Work,  North 

and  West,  Washington,  D.  C.,  Training  Teachers  In  the  Canning: 

Work  at  the  Office  of  Go.  Supt.  K.  J.  Tobin,  Chicago 


32  BE  CLEAN  AND  CAREFUL  IN  ALL  WORK 

Have  Everything  Clean  and  Sanitary — Absolute  cleanliness 
is  necessary.  Dress,  Hands,  Jars,  Tables,  Utensils,  everything 
used  about  the  work,  should  be  absolutely  sanitary — sterilized 
where  necessary  and  scoured  clean  always. 

Use  hot  soapsuds  freely  for  cleansing  utensils.  Especially  do 
not  use  jars  or  covers  which  cannot  be  cleaned  perfectly. 

Wash  the  products  in  pure  water.  Impure  water  is  offensive 
and  may  spread  disease.  Scrub  the  products  writh  a  brush  if 
necessary,  and  rinse  thoroughly  through  several  waters. 

//  any  product  cannot  be  made  perfectly  clean,  do  not  use  it. 

We  are  preparing  food  to  be  eaten  and  must  comply  strictly 
with  all  sanitary  requirements.  To  take  chances  is  to  endanger 
the  health  of  the  consumer.  The  room  must  be  screened,  the 
hair  may  be  protected  by  a  cap,  and  the  dress  by  a  clean 
apron.  Be  sure  the  hands  are  clean. 

In  high  grade  commercial  canning  factories  much  attention 
is  given  to  screening,  light,  ventilation,  drainage,  paint,  and 
whitewash.  Personal  cleanliness  is  enforced. 

Attention  to  Little  Things  Produces  High-Grade  Goods—- 
Perfection of  detail  makes  the  difference  between  fair  and  ex- 
cellent. 

If  wre  have  no  other  reason  for  canning,  let  us  can  and  sell 
and  with  the  money  buy  modern  conveniences  for  the  home. 
Any  home  can  have  a  better  water  supply,  better  lights,  labor- 
saving  machines,  such  as  a  vacuum  cleaner  and  a  canning  outfit ; 
we  can  can  and  earn  the  necessary  amount  which  we  would  not 
otherwise  have  had. 

It  is  not  always  having  so  much  to  do  which  makes  women's 
work  hard ;  it  is  more  often  having  to  do  something  and  having 
neither  the  supplies  nor  the  utensils  to  work  with. 


Courtesy  of  Co.  Suot.  E.  J.  Tobin 

A  National  Leader,  a   State  Leader,  a   School  Teacher,  and  a  Rural 
Canning  Club  at  Work 


CHART  VII 


IT'S  GOOD  BUSINESS 
An  Average  Profit,  1/10  Acre  Tomatoes 

This  account  is  an  average  made  up  from  the  records  of  To- 
mato Club  girls.  The  rent  is  figured  at  $1  per  tenth  acre,  and 
the  labor  (Club  girls')  at  lOc  per  hour.  (Read  chart.) 

The  average  profit 
reported  by  Canning 
club  girls  in  1916, 
from  a  tenth  of  an 
acre  was  $24,  or  at 
the  rate  of  $240  per 
acre.  Some  of  the 
club  girls  have  made 
more  than  $100  from 
their  tenth  acre. 


rrs  GOOD  BUSINESS 

AN  AVERAGE  PROFIT  i/fo  A.  TOMATOES 

RECEIPTS 
SOLD  FRESH  $»0,4O 


SOLD  CANNED 
USED  AT  HOME 
ON  HAND 

TOTAL 

EXPENSE 

RENT    FERTILIZER    PLOWING 
CUtTVTG    STAK'G    PRUN'G 
HARVESTING  AND  CANNING 
CANS    JARS    LABELS 

TOTAL 

NET  PROFIT 


18.40 
9.60 
3.95 


$41.35 


a.50 
3.75 
5.35 
5.85 


$  17.35 
$24.00 


AVERAGE    COST   PER   QT.  4* 


CHART  VII 


( The  lecturer  may 
give  the  year's  best 
record  among  Can- 
ning club  girls,  the 
record  for  the  county, 
the  home  state,  etc., 
if  the  figures  are 
available.)  The  average  cost  per  quart  of  home-canned  tomatoes 
is  4c. 

Marketing  Canned  Foods 

In  most  cases,  if  our  goods  are  of  standard  quality  and  pack, 
and  we  can  guarantee  a  definite  number  of  cans,  the  home  grocer 
will  buy  them  as  readily  as  he  will  jobber's  goods.  He  must  be 
able  to  depend  on  us,  and  we  must  make  arrangements  some  time 
in  advance,  as  grocers  usually  place  their  orders  early  in  the  year. 

Sometimes  we  can't  sell  garden  produce  fresh,  because  when 
we  have  tomatoes  or  beans,  everyone  else  has  all  he  can  use. 
But  if  we  can  them  and  put  them  on  the  shelf  until  the  fresh 
vegetables  and  fruits  are  gone,  then  people  will  be  glad  to  pay 
a  good  price  for  our  canned  foods. 

With  a  few  exceptions,  such  as  apples  and  blackberries, 
canned  goods  do  not  deteriorate  but  will  keep  indefinitely,  and 
so  may  be  held  until  the  market  is  favorable. 


CHART  VIII 


WE  GROW  IT 


WE  GROW  IT,  WHY  NOT  CAN  IT? 

Red  Tomato  on  his  way  from  the  garden  to  the  winter  din- 
ner table.  The  grower  may  sell  him  to  the  commercial  canner 
(at  $8  to  $10  per  ton), 
from  the  cannery  the 
canned  goods  may 
pass  to  the  whole- 
saler, who  sells  them 
to  the  retailer.  The 
housewife  may  buy 
them  at  the  country 
store  at  15c  per  can 
or  at  a  price  of  $120 
per  ton. 


There  is  room  for 
the  commercial  can- 
nery just  as  there  is 
room  for  the  commer- 
cial bakery,  or  laun- 
dry, or  tailor  shop, 
but  let  us  not  be  de- 


WHY  NOT   CAN   IT 


CHART  VIII 

A   can   of  corn   may  be 


pendent  on   the   commercial   canner. 

Grown  in  the  middle  West,  Canned 
at  a  commercial  cannery,  Shipped 
from  there  to  a  Baltimore  jobber, 
Sold  to  an  Eastern  wholesaler, 
Then  to  a  Chicago  commission 
house,  Next  to  a  middle  West  re- 
tailer, adding  Profit  and  Transpor- 
tation charges  all  along  the  way,  to 
be  Bought  by  folks  who  fed  bushels 
of  sweet  corn  to  the  hogs,  because 
it  reached  the  eating  stage  faster 
than  they  could  consume  it. 

How  much  better  it  would  be  to 
can  that  corn  fresh  from  the  home 
field  and  store  it  on  the  shelf  for 
Grown  at  Home,  Canned  at  Home,  Used  at  Home. 


Home    Grown,    Home    Canned 


winter  use. 


34 


CLUB   WORK   MAKES   BETTER   CITIZENS 


35 


CLUB  WORK  GIVES  4-H  TRAINING 


HEAD 
TO  THINK 
TO  PLAN 
TO  REASON 


HEART 
TO  BE  KIND 
TO  BE  TRUE 
TO  BE  SYMPATHETIC 


CHART  IX 

CLUB  WORK  GIVES  4-H  TRAINING 

0.  H.  Benson  says  that  Club  work  is  "the  right  hand  of 
fellowship  from  the  Home  to  the  School  and  from  the  School 
to  the  home." 

Modern  under- 
standing of  education 
is  that  it  is  a  training 
for  citizenship,  and 
that  such  training 
should  not  be  one- 
sided, but  should 
train : 

The    Head  — To 

Think,   to  Plan,   to 
Reason. 

The  Heart — To  be 
Kind,  True,  and 
Sympathetic. 

The  Hands  —  To 
be  Useful,  Helpful, 
Skillful. 


HANDS  HEALTH 

TO  BE  USEFUL  TO  RESIST  DISEASE 

TO  BE  HELPFUL  TO  ENJOY  LIFE 

TO  BE  SKILLFUL  TO  MAKE   EFFICIENT 

INSPIRES   US   TO   DO   OUR   BEST 
TEACHES  US  TO  WORK  TOGETHER 
ORGANIZE   MOTHER-DAUGHTER   CLUBS 


CHART  IX 


The  Health — To  Resist  Disease,  Enjoy  Life,  Make  Efficient. 
The  four-leaved  clover,  a  leaf  for  each  H,  is  the  emblem  of 
the  Boys'  and  Girls'  Clubs.     The  Canning  Club  motto  is: 

"Make  the  Best  Better." 

Inspires  Us  to  Do  Our  Best — We  do  more  work  and  better 
work  when  we  work  together.  We  each  want  to  do  as  well  as 
our  neighbor,  and  we  put  into  our  work  the  best  we  have.  Then 
we  exchange  ideas  and  help  one  another.  It  is  no  longer  "I" 
or  "you,"  nor  even  "us;"  it  is  "our  neighborhood" — and  we 
all  put  forth  our  best  effort,  and  all  pull  together  for  the  honor 
and  development  of  the  community. 

Teaches  Us  to  Work  Together — Canning  in  clubs  makes 
for  neighborliness.  We  forget  petty  jealousies.  WTe  come  to 
understand  the  neighbor  we  did  not  like  and  decide  that  she 
isn't  such  a  bad  sort  after  all.  We  do  better  work.  Ten  girls 


36 


CLUB  WORK  WIDENS  OUR  HORIZON 


working  together  will  do  more  canning  and  better  canning  than 
ten  girls  working  separately.  We  exchange  suggestions  and  ex- 
periences and  all  profit  by 
the  increased  knowledge. 

Working    with    others 
broadens    ideas    and    ideals. 
Canning  in   clubs   is   certain 
to  lead  toward  a  general  in- 
terest, both  in  canning  and  in 
community  needs  and   possi- 
bilities.    It    establishes    con- 
nection    with     the      outside 
%H     world  in  at  least  three  direc- 
Ji  tions :  with  the  state  schools 

through  the  State  Canning 
Club  Leader,  who  is  associ- 
ated with  the  university  or 
agricultural  college;  with  the 
U.  S.  Department  of  Agricul- 
ture, which  supervises  the 
club  work;  and  with  the  busi- 
ness world,  such  as  local 
grocers,  commission  merchants  in  large  cities,  hotels,  restaurants, 
hospitals,  railroad  dining  car  service,  and  other  possible  mar- 
kets. The  boys  and  girls  learn  to  think  in  terms  of  these  larger 
units  and  to  plan  their  work  to  meet  the  new  conditions. 

The  Home  canning  club  meets  with  the  canning  club  from 
some  other  neighborhood  and  all  of  them  keep  in  touch  with 
Canning  Clubs  in  other  counties  and  so  in  touch  with  the  world. 
All  may  come  together  at  the  State  Fair  and  all  consult  with  the 
State  Leader  of  Boys'  and  Girls'  Clubs  and  with  the  Specialist 
in  Charge  of  Club  Work  at  Washington.  All  in  all,  it  is  a  great 
social  influence. 

We  not  only  work  to  better  advantage  when  working  together, 
but  the  association  is  an  inspiration.  Most  communities  have 


O.   H.  Bensoi 


Courtesy  of  Home  Canner  Co. 

A  Group   of   Southern   State  Leaders 


FATHER  AND  THE  BOYS  CAN  HELP          37 

possibilities.  They  could  do  more  if  only  there  were  "  someone 
to  go  ahead."  Club  work,  community  work,  a  common  interest, 
develops  leaders — and  when  I  say  ' '  leaders  "  I  do  not  mean  those 
who  stand  and  say,  " Go" ;  but  those  who  go  and  do,  and  say, 
"Come."  We  need  more  leaders  who  lead  by  serving. 

Organize  Mother-Daughter  Home  Canning  Clubs — Boys' 
Clubs  are  good,  Girls'  Clubs  are  good,  Men's  organizations,  Wo- 
men's organizations — there  is  a  place  for  each  of  them,  but  there 
is  a  new  club,  the  Mother-Daughter  Club. 

It  has  the  usual  club  possibilities  for  good  times,  it  spreads 
useful  knowledge,  and  it  gives  Mother  and  Daughter  a  common 
work  and  pleasure.  Then  when  Mother  and  Sister  work  together, 
Brother  is  anxious  to  help  pick  and  peel  and  solder  and  keep 
the  fire  going;  Father  likes  the  business-like  air  there  is  to  the 
new  way,  and  after  he  makes  a  few  calculations  he  realizes  that, 
whether  you  figure  it  by  the  day  or  by  the  acre,  the  "women 
folks"  are  making  about  as  good  money  as  there  is  in  corn  or 
cotton,  and  Father  becomes  interested  and  helps  can  and  tip 
and  lift  and  carry. 

No,  we  don't  want  to  add  to  women's  work;  we  want  to 
lighten  it.  It  is  very  much  easier  to  get  a  meal  when  we  have 
canned  in  a  business  way  and  in  sufficient  quantity.  Then  we 
have  on  hand  a  variety  of  good  healthful  foods  and  we  do  not 
have  to  wonder  what  to  cook.  It  is  very  much  easier  to  cook 
twenty-five  cans  of  tomatoes  at  one  process  than  it  is  to  cook 
twenty-five  individual  lots. 


A  Glenwood,  Neb.,  Mother-Daughter  Team  Canning  at  Home 


CHART  X 
WHY  HAVE  I  BEEN  TALKING  TO  YOU  ABOUT  HOME 


CANNING? 


Because  of  Waste! 
Waste!!  Waste!!! 

What  Is  Wasted 
Would  Feed  Us— 

When  there  is  so 
much  want  all  about 
us,  it  is  shiftless  and 
wicked  to  let  any 
good  food  go  to  waste. 

Anything  Can  Be 
Canned  at  Home 
by  the  Cold  Pack 
Method — Save  the 
waste  and  feed  the 
hungry. 


WHY  HAVE  I  BEEN  TALKING 
TO  YOU  ABOUT  HOME  CANNING 

WASTE!    WASTE!!    WASTE!!! 

WHAT  IS  WASTED  WOULD  PEED  US 

ANYTHING   CAN    BE   CANNED  AT 

HOME  BY  THE  COLD  PACK  METHOD 
GIVES  US  THE  RIGHT  KINDS 

OF   FOOD 

ITS   GOOD    BUSINESS     IT    PAYS 
YOU'LL    LIKE    IT   BETTER 
YOU  'GREW    IT    YOURSELF 
YOU'VE    HELPED    MAKE 

A  BETTER   NEIGHBORHOOD 

IF  WE  DON'T  CAN  IT 
WE  WONT  HAVE  IT 


CHART  X 


Gives       Us       the 
Right  Kinds  of  Food 

—Juicy,  nutritious,  palatable  vegetables  and  fruits  which  we 
need  to  keep  us  healthy  and  help  us  grow  strong.    And  besides, 

It's  Good  Business.  It  Pays — It  reduces  the  cost  of  living 
and  it  may  be  made  a  source  of  income. 

You'll  Like  It  Better.  You  Grew  It  Yourself — There  may 
be  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  whether  home-canned  or  commer- 
cial-canned tomatoes  are  best.  There  is  no  question  which  we 
like  the  best.  Our  own  has  an  extra  flavor — the  pride  which 
comes  with  owning  something — from  doing  work  ourselves. 
There  is  no  bigger  moment  in  life  than  when  we  proffer  another 
the  first  fruits  of  our  own  labor. 

' '  We  grew  these  strawberries,  Mrs.  Brown.  Yes,  right  in  our 
own  garden.  Johnny  weeded,  and  bedded,  and  reset,  and  he's 
proud  as  a  hen  with  one  chicken.  Has  all  the  boys  in  the  neigh- 
borhood in  to  admire  'em  an'  begs  me  to  make  shortcakes  for 
'em.  Yes,  it's  some  work,  but  I'd  rather  have  'em  here  than  off 
by  themselves  learning  bad  habits.  He's  got  so  he  takes  an 
interest. ' ' 


38 


ORGANIZE   A  CANNING   CLUB   TODAY 


39 


Or,  we  pass  the  preserves  with  an  extra  pride.  "Mary  made 
them.  Did  it  in  Club.  They're  quite  the  finest  we  ever  tasted. 
Yes,  that  new  teacher  does  contrive  to  keep  the  scholars  inter- 
ested. Always  got  something  new.  Get  their  lessons,  too.  Don't 
seem  to  interfere  with  their  school  work." 

You've  Made  a  Better  Neighborhood —  The  Canning  Club 
should  not  be  a  temporary  organization  for  the  sake  of  "  doing- 
something  new."  It  should  aim  at  permanent  results  in  can- 
ning; improved  methods,  and  a  more  general  canning  of  vege- 
tables, fruits,  fruit  juices,  soups,  and  meat.  The  study  of  Home 
Economics  should  develop  higher  standards  of  sanitation  and  of 
general  living  conditions.  Good  taste  in  dress,  furniture,  land- 
scape gardening,  and  in  standards  of  conduct  will  all  grow  out 
of  a  properly  conducted  club  under  a  competent,  devoted  leader. 
Club  canning  makes  for  neighborliness.  Everybody  helps  every- 
body else.  We  study  and  plan  together  for  a  better  community. 
In  the  end  it  is  citizens  and  home  makers  we  are  making,  not 
simply  canners. 

If  We  Don't  Can  It  We  Won't  Have  It— Some  people  may 
say  that  they  would  rather  grow  corn  or  cotton  and  buy  their 
canned  goods.  The  answer  to  this  is  that  they  do  not  buy 
enough.  The  final  argument  for  most  of  us  is:  "If  we  don't 
can  it,  we  go  without." 

Organize — Shall  we  consider  the  appointment  of  a  commit- 
tee to  arrange  date  and  place  of  meeting  to  organize  a  Home 
Canning  Club?  Or,  shall  we  organize  now? 


City  Canning  Cl 

STATE  CH&MPIOMS  191$ 


A  Well  Put  Up  Exhibit  of  Home-Canned  Foods  Packed  by  Four  Sixteen- 
ifear-Old  Girls,  F.  L.  Audriau,  Supt.  City  Schools,  Kiona,  Wash,,  Club  Leader 


Canning  In  Tin 


People  who  can  in  large  amounts  usually  can  in  tin  for  the 
following  reasons: 

Shipment  Is  Easier — People  who  can  in  quantities  can  to 
sell,  and  shipping  goods  canned  in  glass  is  somewhat  awkward. 
Tin  cans  are  lighter  weight;  they  require  less  space;  it  is  not 
necessary  to  handle  them  so  carefully;  the  cans  need  not  be  re- 
turned. 

Tin  Cans  Are  Less  Expensive — If  we  are  going  to  market 
our  canned  goods,  tin  cans  are  less  expensive.  For  home  can- 
ning, glass  jars  are  probably  cheaper,  as  they  can  be  used  sev- 
eral years  in  succession,  while  tin  ones  must  be  replaced  each 
year ;  but  if  we  are  canning  to  sell,  it  would  be  necessary  to  add 
the  cost  of  the  jar  to  the  cost  of  the  product,  or,  to  require  the 
glass  jars  returned  to  us  for  use  the  next  year. 

There  Is  No  Danger  of  Breakage;  Less  Storage  Space  Is 
Required — The  tin  cans  can  be  handled  more  readily — they  may 
be  set  under  the  faucet  or  in  a  vat  for  rapid  cooling,  and  they 
may  be  stacked  one  on  top  of  another.  This  last  makes  it  pos- 
sible to  store  them  in  much  less  space  than  is  required  for  glass 
jars. 

Caution — -In  handling  the  "  sanitary "  can  before  packing, 
care  must  be  taken  to  see  that  the  flange  at  the  top  is  not  broken 
or  cracked,  or  it  will  be  impossible  to  make  a  perfect  seal. 

The  Product  Sells  More  Readily — Except  for  fancy  trade, 
few  commercial  goods  are  canned  in  glass.  In  addition  to  tin 
canned  goods' being  cheaper  (we  have  to  charge  a  higher  price 
to  cover  the  cost  of  glass  cans),  there  is  the  fact  that  the  general 
public  may  can  at  home  in  glass,  but  it  is  accustomed  to  buying 
its  canned  foods  in  tin,  and  custom  is  a  big  factor  in  business. 

Lacquered  Cans  Should  Be  Used  for  Very  Acid  Prod- 
ucts— Do  not  can  the  more  acid  products  or  red  fruits — pump- 
kin, squash,  sweet  potatoes,  red  beets,  sour  cherries,  gooseberries, 
blackberries — in  plain  tin ;  the  cans  should  be  lacquered,  vulcan- 
ized, or  enamel-lined. 

40 


SEALING  TIN  CANS 
The  Hand  Sealer 

Simple,  inexpensive,  hand-sealing  devices  for  sealing  the 
"sanitary"  can  by  the  "double  seaming"  process  without  the 
use  of  solder,  acid,  or  heat  are  now  on  the  market. 

The  top  or  cover  is 
double  seamed.  The 
work  of  sealing  is 
simple.  No  acid  is 
used,  and  there  is  no 
solder  on  the  inside 
of  the  can. 

The  entire  top  is 
open,  which  makes 
the  can  easier  to 
clean  inside,  and  also 
makes  it  possible  to 
pack  large  tomatoes, 
peaches,  etc.,  whole. 

To  insure  a  perfect 


A  Simple  Hand  Sealer 


seal,   the   flange   of   the  can  must  not  be  broken   or  cracked. 
The  seam  sealer  does  not  need  heating  and  of  course  it  is 
simpler  to  turn  a  crank,  and  seal  by  the  double  seam  process, 
than  it  is  to  use  a  capper  and  tipper  and  solder. 


Using  the  Hand  Sealer  —  Xotice  the  Open-Top  Cans 

41 


Sterilizing  Products  in  Tin  Cans 

It  Is  Not  Necessary  to  Exhaust — >Some  canners  cap  the 
cans  and  then  exhaust  before  tipping.  This  method  requires 
an  extra  handling  of  the  cans,  and  is  not  necessary  where  the 
product  is  blanched  and  cold-dipped  before  packing,  and  Jiot 
water  or  syrup  used  to  fill  the  can. 

Intermittent  processing  requires  so  much  extra  time  and  so 
much  unnecessary  lifting  that  it  kills  enthusiasm.  Where  time, 
labor,  and  fuel  are  valued,  it  is  quite  as  cheap  to  buy  vegetables 
ready  canned,  as  it  is  to  can  by  the  intermittent  process,  and 
most  people  will  prefer  to  do  so. 

Probably  it  is  wise  to  follow  the  instructions  sent  with  our 
canning  outfit,  or  given  us  by  our  state  club  leader,  until  we  are 
sure  of  our  method;  then,  if  we  wish  we  may  try  out  other 
methods  and  choose  the  one  we  like  best. 

There  is  no  danger  of  breaking  tin  cans  but  there  is  danger 
of  over-heating  the  product  in  the  bottom  of  the  can,  so  we  need 
a  tray,  or  the  wire  basket,  the  same  as  for  glass  jars. 

Leaks — If  a  can  leaks,  a  series  of  air  bubbles  will  rise  from 
it  when  it  is  set  into  hot  water.  Should  a  leak  escape  notice  until 
after  cooking,  it  can  be  discovered  by  turning  the  cans  cap-side 
down  as  they  are  removed  from  the  cooker. 

Cool  Quickly — Tin  holds  heat  longer  than  glass  and  if  tin 
cans  are  packed  close  together  when  they  are  taken  from  the 
cooker,  and  allowed  to  stand,  there  is  danger  that  they  will  con- 
tinue to  cook  and  the  flavor  and  color  be  injured.  They  should 
be  placed  immediately  in  a  bath  of  cold  water  or  under  the  cold 
water  faucet. 

Mark  the  Cans  So  You  Can  Distinguish  Them — With  a 
pencil  or  rubber  stamp  mark  the  cans  before  putting  them  in  the 
cooker.  This  is  the  only  safe,  sure  way  to  keep  from  getting  the 
different  products  mixed. 

Do  not  scratch  the  cans  as  this  may  cause  them  to  rust. 

When  the  cans  are  perfectly  cool  we  can  set  products  of  a 
kind  in  one  place,  those  of  another  kind  in  another  place,  and  so 
distinguish  them  until  they  are  labeled,  but  while  we  are  handling 
them,  care  is  necessary  to  keep  from  getting  them  mixed. 

42 


Labels 

It  is  probably  best  not  to  label  cans  we  are  going  to  sell, 
until  we  are  ready  to  sell  them;  then  the  labels  will  be  clean 
and  attractive  for  the  customer. 

Small  labels  such  as  we  use  on  glass  jars  are  not  advisable 
for  tin.  With  these  it  is  necessary  to  roughen  the  tin  with  the 
acid  at  the  point  where  the  paste  is  to  be  applied.  Even  then  if 
the  can  is  set  in  a  very  dry,  warm  place  the  label  may  drop  off. 
If  set  in  a  damp  place,  the  can  is  apt  to  rust  where  the  paste 
was  applied. 

The  type  of  label  used  by  commercial  canners  which  is  placed 
around  the  entire  can  and  is  fastened  with  paste  applied  at  the 
ends  only,  is  the  best  style. 

The  regular  club  label  which  carries  the  4-H  brand,  the  club 
motto,  and  blanks  for  weight  of  contents  (without  juice),  date 
canned,  and  name  and  address  of  canner,  is  neater  and  more 
suitable  than  pictures  of  inappropriate  flowers  or  pretty  girls. 
Print  at  least  one  recipe  on  each  label. 


Buying  Food  to  Can 

One  big  important  feature  of  Home  Canning  is  the  saving  of 
garden  and  orchard  produce  which  is  now  allowed  to  go  to  waste; 
but  canning  will  also  reduce  expenses  even  when  the  food  to  can 
must  be  bought  on  the  market. 

In  1916,  the  Uncle  Sam,  Preparedness,  Ever  Ready,  B.  and  G., 
Happy  Helpers,  and  Economy  Canning  Clubs  of  the  public  schools 
of  Pawtucket,  R.  I.,  working  under  the  direction  of  Miss  Alice  L. 
Currier,  Supervisor,  bought  fruits  and  vegetables  on  the  market  and 
canned  the  following:  7%  qts.  apples,  23%  qts.  blackberries,  41 
qts.  blueberries,  16%  qts.  currants,  6  qts.  gooseberries,  71%  qts. 
peaches,  20  qts.  pears,  13%  qts.  pineapple,  93  qts.  raspberries,  1% 
pts.  rhubarb,  6%  qts.  strawberries,  3%  qts.  asparagus,  51  qts.  snap 
beans,  49%  qts.  shell  beans,  45  qts.  beets,  13  qts.  beet  greens,  30 
qts.  peas,  68  pts.  peppers,  25%  qts.  summer  squash,  5  qts.  sweet 
potatoes,  4%  qts.  spinach,  and  17  qts.  tomatoes,  a  total  of  577  qts. 
Investment,  $137;  net  profit,  $249. 


-TOMATOES 


A  Good  Type  of  Label 

43 


44 


CANNING  AS  A  BUSINESS 


Opportunity  For  Boys  and  Girls 

Although  jobbers  buy  commercial  canned  tomatoes  at  75 
cents  a  dozen,  the  average  retail  price  is  15  cents  per  quart, 
and  the  average  cost  of  canning  tomatoes  at  home  or  in  club  is 
4  cents  per  can.  What  is  the  average  price  of  tomatoes  at  your 
grocery  store?  What  is  the  saving  per  can? 

Suppose  a  girl  cans  100  quarts  per  day — what  kind  of  wages 
can  she  make  ? 

Suppose  we  figure  on  the  club  slogan  "a  can  of  fruit,  a  can 
of  greens,  and  a  can  of  vegetables  for  every  day  in  the  year" 
— approximately  1,100  cans  at  an  average  saving  of  10  cents  a 
can,  $110;  isn't  this  worth  saving? 

And  at  that  we  have  left  out  the  soups  and  fruit  juices,  both 
of  which  are  easy  to  can  and  desirable  to  have. 

It  is  not  necessary  for  girls  to  go  away  from  home  in  order 
to  earn  money.  Until  recently  the  only  avenues  open  to  girls 
who  wished  to  earn  money  were  teaching,  stenography,  sewing, 
clerking,  and  housework,  and  there  was  a  feeling  that  the  last 
named  occupation  was  not  quite  genteel.  If  canning  helps  to 
advance  the  understanding  that  any  helpful  or  necessary  work 
well  done  is  dignified  and  honorable,  it  will  help  some. 

Besides  buying  her  own  clothes,  helping  out  the  family,  and 
gratifying  some  special  wants,  a  canning  club  girl  can  start  a 
bank  account  and  save  enough  money  to  go  away  to  school. 


Courtesy  Home  Canner  Co. 

A  Capped  and  Aproned  Club  at  Work 


IMPORTANCE  OF  A  BALANCED  DIET  45 

Besides  that,  she  has  a  profitable  business  all  her  own.  Shp 
can  earn  much  more  than  by  clerking  in  a  store,  or  working 
for  $8  to  $12  a  week  as  a  stenographer.  If  she  is  enterprising 
and  a  good  business  woman  she  may  make  more  than  by  teach- 
ing school. 

Cold  pack  canning  produces  a  commercial  product  worth  good 
money.  If  all  people  in  the  community  who  have  canned  goods 
for  sale  club  together  and  work  together  it  is  easier  to  secure  a 
market. 

The  House  Mothers'  Responsibility 

Then,  too,  the  girl  who  cans  is  learning  how  to  do  the  work 
which  is  distinctly  her  work.  Generally  speaking,  the  feeding 
of  people  is  the  woman's  business. 

" Every  morning  the  world  wakes  up  hungry,"  and  every 
day  the  women  of  the  country  busy  themselves  to  relieve  that 
hunger.  Some  of  them  do  it  haphazard,  just  any  way  and  any- 
thing ;  some  of  them  study  Foods,  and  Health,  and  Hygiene,  and 
plan  their  menus ;  some  of  them  realize  that  not  only  the  health 
of  the  world  but  the  business  of  the  world,  is  dependent  on  the 
breakfasts  and  dinners  and  suppers  that  the  world  eats. 

The  Health  of  the  human  race  is  in  the  hands  of  the  women 
of  the  world. 

No  child  who  is  not  fed  the  foods  which  make  bone  and  muscle 
and  vitality  can  grow  bones  and  muscles  and  good  red  blood. 
Stunted,  pale,  sickly,  weak  children  often  indicate  children  not 
properly  fed. 

Boys  and  girls  who  get  plenty  of  fresh  air  and  exercise  and 
who  eat  properly  will  outgrow  many  hereditary  weaknesses.  Air 
and  exercise  are  the  property  of  him  who  will  take  them,  but  we 
must  eat  what  is  set  before  us. 

We  Balance  Rations  for  the  Stock,  Why  Not  for  the  Home 
Folks?  We  are  so  intent  on  the  moral  and  mental  welfare  of 
mankind,  that  often  the  physical  is  neglected.  We  know  that 
animals  must  have  a  balanced  ration,  and  we  send  our  sons  to 
agricultural  colleges  to  learn  about  suitable  feeds  for  stock;  we 
must  also  insist  that  not  only  colleges  and  high  schools,  but 
every  one-room  school  as  well,  teach  both  girls  and  boys  to  regu- 
late their  eating  with  an  eye  to :  1.  Repairing  waste,  2.  Main- 
taining health,  and  3.  Furnishing  energy. 


46  HOME    CANNING  AIDS   EFFICIENCY 

a 

Planning  and  constructing  a  healthful,  satisfying,  tasty  din- 
ner and  setting  it  before  the  family  in  a  dainty,  artistic  way  is 
as  fascinating  and  quite  as  useful  as  designing  and  making  a 
hat,  or  painting  china.  And — don't  forget  this — if  we  make  it 
so  by  painstaking,  competent  service,  quite  as  dignified  and 
honorable. 

The  Business  of  the  world  is  in  the  hands  of  the  women  of 
the  world. 

People  cannot  be  alert,  clear-thinking,  clean-acting,  and  effi- 
cient unless  they  are  fed  properly. 

The  Happiness  of  the  world  is  in  the  hands  of  the  women 
of  the  world,  because  it  is  the  poorly  fed  person  who 
Becomes  ill-tempered — and  quarrels; 
Becomes  dissatisfied — and  indulges  in  drink,  questionable 

amusements,  and  bad  company ; 

Becomes  sick — and  perhaps  loses  health  permanently; 
Becomes  discouraged — and  quits. 

Quits  work,  quits  home,  quits  morality  and  manhood  and 
character,  quits  trying, — just  quits.  And  when  a  man,  or  woman, 
quits,  unless  we  can  get  him  back  mighty  quick,  the  game  is 
ended.  There  is  nothing  more  to  be  said  or  done. 

Community  Life,  Health,  Business  Efficiency,  Happiness — 
it  is  a  large  order,  but  it  hinges  absolutely  and  undeniably  on 
the  diet;  and  in  the  country,  at  least,  the  diet  hinges  partly  on 
Home  Canning  in  club  work. 


Courtesy  of  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture 

Laying:  the  Foundation  of  Community  Life,  Health,  Business  Efficiency, 
and  Happiness,  Etc. 


SOLDER-SEALED  TIN  CANS 

The  hand-sealer  is  so  simple  and  the  open-top  can  so  satisfactory 
that  we  prefer  to  use  this  method  when  possible. 

But  no  one  need  hesitate  to  undertake  canning  in  tin  because 
soldering  seems  a  complicated  process.  Soldering  is  simple  and  easy 
and  instructs  in  a  needed  art.  It  is  a  distinct  achievement  for  any 
boy  or  girl  to  be  able  to  solder  not  only  tin  cans  used  in  canning, 
but  the  leak  in  the  water  pail,  the  boiler,  the  dishpan,  the  basin,  or 
other  utensils  used  about  the  home.  Soldering  should  be  taught  for 
its  many  other  uses  even  if  we  are  not  using  the  solder-sealed  can. 

For  solder-sealed  cans,  we  shall  need  several  things  which  we  do 
not  use  when  canning  in  glass,  or  with  seam-sealed  cans.  In  order 
to  be  sure  that  we  overlook  nothing  here  is  a  list  which  we  can 
check  off  as  we  provide  the  material: 

Tin  Cans  and  Solder-Hemmed  Caps — 
Solder-hemmed  caps  are  not  included 
with  the  cans  but  should  be  ordered 
extra.  There  is  a  binding  of  solder 
around  the  cap  rim.  The  hot  iron  melts 
this  and  forms  the  seal. 

Wire  Solder — Our  can  caps  are  solder- 
hemmed  but  we  need  a  small  amount  of 
wire  solder  to  tip  the  vent.  A  Capping 
Steel  to  seal  the  cap.  A  Tipping  Copper 
to  melt  the  solder  for  closing  the  vent. 
Sal  Ammoniac  for  cleaning  the  steels. 
Soldering  Flux — the  prepared  paste,  or, 
Powdered  Rosin,  or,  Muriatic  Acid  and 
Zinc. 

Prepared  soldering  flux  can  be  secured  at  any  tin  shop  or 
plumber's.  Powdered  rosin  may  be  used,  or,  it  is  well  to  have  on 
hand  a  small  amount  of  muriatic  acid  and  a  few  zinc  chips  such  as 
can  be  picked  up  where  the  workmen  have  been  laying  a  metal  roof, 
or  soldering  water  pipes.  Then,  in  an  emergency,  we  can  make  our 
own  flux. 

Making  Flux — The  acid  zinc  mixture  is  prepared  as  follows:  Take 
a  small  quantity — lOc  worth — of  muriatic  acid.  Cut  the  zinc  into 
small  pieces  (not  more  than  one-half  inch  in  diameter).  Drop  into 
the  acid  all  the  zinc  it  will  dissolve.  Let  it  stand  until  it  quits  siz- 
zling, then  pour  off  the  liquid,  dilute  it  one-half,  and  bottle  for  use 
in  roughening  the  tin  so  the  solder  will  hold. 


The  Solder-Hemmed  Cap 


TINNING  THE   SOLDERING  TOOLS 

It  is  very  difficult  to  solder  cans 
smoothly  and  effectively  unless  our 
tools  are  clean  and  bright.  If  the 
steel  itself  is  not  covered  with  solder, 
the  solder  sticks  and  runs  over  the 
steel,  and  does  not  make  a  good  job 
of  the  can. 

Untinned  steels  should  be  tinned 
in  advance,  ready  for  use. 

Tinning  the  Capper  —  Break   sev- 
Lay  the  Solder  on  the  Sal  Am-      eral  strips  of  solder  into  short  pieces 
moniac  in  a  Circle  an(j  jay  them  in  a  circle  on  top  of  a 

large  lump   of  sal   ammoniac,   or,   if 

powdered  sal  ammoniac  is  used,  put  lOc  or  15c  worth  into  an  old 
bowl,  or  a  tin  can  cut  down  to  about  half  its  original  height,  and 
lay  the  solder  on  this. 


47 


48 


STEELS  MUST  BE  WELL  TINNED 


Have  ready  a  weak  solution  of  sal  ammoniac 
dissolved  in  water. 

File  and  rub  off  the  dirt  and  rough  places 
on  the  steel  until  it  is>  smooth.  If  no  file  is 
convenient,  use  a  soft  brick. 

Heat  the  Steel  Very  Hot,  Dip  It  Into  the  Sal 
Ammoniac  solution  to  clean  it  of  smoke,  or  any 
particles  which  may  have  adhered  to  it,  Set  the 
Steel  on  the  Solder  and  sal  ammoniac,  pressing 
down  and  Turning  It  Back  and  Forth  until  all 
the  surfaces  are  bright.  The  hot  steel  melts 
the  solder,  the  sal  ammoniac  cleans  the  steel 
and  makes  the  solder  flow  smoothly  over  it. 

Continue  pressing  and  turning  until  the 
lower  edge  of  the  steel  is  covered  with  solder. 

Tinning  the  Tipper — The  process  of  tinning 
the  tipper  is  much  the  same  as  tinning  the 
capper. 

The  solder  may  be  laid  on  a  lump  of  sal  am- 
moniac, or  a  little  powdered  sal  ammoniac  may 
be  placed  on  a  bit  of  cloth,  and  bits  of  solder 
mixed  with  it. 

The  tipping  tool,  which  is  usually  made  of 
copper,  should  be  rubbed  or  filed,  to  clean  off 
all  dirt  and  rough  places.  Heat  it  very  hot,  dip 
it  in  the  sal  ammoniac  solution  to  cleanse  it, 
then  rub  back  and  forth  on  the  solder  and  sal 
ammoniac,  turning  it  over  and  over  until  the 
entire  surface  is  covered  with  the  solder. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  tin  the  tools  every  time  they  are  used,  but 
they  should  be  tinned  often  enough  to  keep  them  bright. 


Turn  the  Capping 
Steel  from  Right 
to  Left  Until  the 
Lower  Edge  is 
Covered  With 
the  Solder 


GENERAL  INSTRUCTIONS  FOR  SEALING 

Set  Cans  Level — If  cans  are  set  slanting,  the  solder  will  run  to 
one  side  and  the  contents  may  touch  the  cover  at  some  point  and 
so  render  sealing  difficult. 

Wipe  Cans  and  Caps  Clean  and  Dry — Any  foreign  substance  will 
interfere  with  perfect  sealing. 

Apply  Flux  to  Cap:     Flux  Paste — Prepared,  non-acid  flux  which 
can  be  purchased   from   any  hardware  or  plumber  is  a  very  con- 
venient form.     This  should  be  applied 
by  hand  to  the  under  edge  of  the  caps 
before  they  are  placed  on  the  cans. 

Flux  Paste  will  not  flow  as  a  liquid 
flux  will  and  must  be  applied  at  the 
point  where  it  is  wanted.  When  the 
cap  is  put  in  place,  the  flux  is  where 
the  solder  meets  the  tin. 

Liquid  Flux — If  we  use  liquid  flux, 
put  the  cap  in  place,  dip  a  small  brush 
in  the  acid,  and  wipe  quickly  around 
the  edge  of  the  cap.  Enough  of  the 
liquid  will  penetrate  beneath  the  cap. 

Be  Sure  Steels  Are  Well  Tinned — 

Do  not  try  to  work  without  a  well- 
tinned  capper  and  tipper,  or  the  solder  will  spread  over  the  iron,  in- 
stead of  staying  where  it  is  wanted,  at  the  joint  of  the  can. 

Have  Steels  Piping  Hot — Experiment  with  a  bit  of  solder.  Notice 
how  readily  it  runs  with  a  hot  steel,  and  how  it  clogs  and  lumps 


Applying  Flux  Paste  to  the 
Cap 


KEEP  STEELS  VEEY  HOT 


49 


and  is  unmanageable  if  the  steel  is  cold;   then  you  will  understand 

the    necessity    of    hot   irons    to    work    with. 

Try  to  Make  a   Neat  Joint — If   the   steel   is   hot  and   we   work 

quickly,  it  is  as  easy  to  make  a  smooth,  neat  job  as  it  is  to  make 

a  poor  one.  A  neat- 
looking  can  sells  more 
readily  than  a  botched 
one.  It  looks  business- 
like, and  it  does  not 
suggest  trouble  with 
sealing,  nor  spoiled 
goods — either  of  which 
suggestions  reduces  the 
price. 

Do  Not  Try  to  Cap 
When    Vent   Is    Closed 

— Because  of  the  large 
surface  to  be  closed  at 
once  when  capping,  a 
small  opening  is  left 
in  the  center  of  the 
cap  to  provide  an  out- 
let for  the  steam.  Then 
when  the  cap  is  sealed, 
some  solder  and  a  hot 
iron  is  applied  directly 
to  the  opening  to  close 
the  vent. 

If    after    you   have 

°'°|fk?n 

punch  a  hole  in  the  cap,  make  the  cap  seal  perfect,  then  close  the 
opening  you  made  in  the  cover. 

In  tipping,  or  sealing  the  vent,  the  solder  is  in  direct  contact 
with  the  opening  and  the  hot  steel;  in 
capping,  the  body  of  the  cover  is  be- 
tween the  iron  and  the  solder  which 
rests  on  the  can;  that  is  why  it  is  easier 
to  seal  the  vent  than  it  is  to  mend  an 
imperfection  in  the  cap  solder. 

Test  All  Seals  After  Sterilizing  — 
Stand  cans  cap-side  down  to  cool.  If 
you  find  a  leak,  punch  a  hole  in  the 
cap,  solder  the  leak,  then  seal  the  vent 
made,  and  return  the  can  to  the  cooker 
for  five  minutes. 

CAPPING  TIN  CANS 

Start  heating  the  soldering  tools  in 
time  so  that  they  will  get  very  hot  by 
the  time  you  are  ready  to  use  them. 

The  self-heating  capper  which  has 
a  small  gasoline  burner  attached,  is  very 
satisfactory.  It  is  light  in  weight,  al- 
ways hot,  and  prevents  delays. 

If  we  are  using  the  ordinary  capping 
tool  which  must  be  heated  over  the 
fire,  we  place  it  over  the  gas  burner, 
on  the  bed  of  coals,  or  in  the  plumber's 
fire-pot,  in  plenty  of  time  to  heat  it 
thoroughly  through  and  through.  The 
center  rod  is  removed  when  we  are  heat- 
ing the  steel. 


Two       Styles     of     Cappers. 

The   One  on  the  Left 

Is    Self-Heating 


50 


WORK  QUICKLY 


Assume  that  our  cans  are  filled,  the  flux  has  been  applied,  the 
cap  is  in  place,  and  our  steel  is  hot: 

Lift  the  Hot  Steel  with  the  Right  Hand — Remember,  the  cap- 
ping tool  is  heavy — it  must  be  to  be  an  effective  tool  for  sealing — 
and  now  it  is  hot.  Handle  it  carefully,  not  to  strike  anyone  or  any- 
thing, and  do  not  drop  it. 

Put  Rod  in  Place  with  Left 
Hand — The  rod  serves  as  a 
guide  in  handling  the  steel 
and  may  prevent  accidents. 

Dip  the  Steel  in  the  Sal 
Ammoniac  Solution — This  is 
to  clean  the  steel  of  smoke 
and  particles  which  may  have 
attached  to  it  while  heating, 
and  so  make  the  solder  flow 
more  smoothly. 

Set  Tip  of  Rod  Over  Vent 
— The  lower  end  of  the  guide 
rod  in  the  usual  form  of  cap- 
ping steel,  has  an  inverted  v- 
shaped  (A)  end,  the  two 
points  of  which  are  set  on  op- 
posite sides  of  the  vent  hole. 

Lower  Steel  to  Can — That 
is,  lower  the  capping  steel  it- 
self until  it  rests  on  the  solder 
— be  sure  it  touches  the  cap 
rim  at  all  points. 

Give  It  Two  or  Three 
Quick  Turns  back  and  forth,  Hold  the  Capper  a  Second  to  Allow 

the  Solder  to  Set 

Raise  Steel  an  Inch  and  Hold  an  Instant  to  Let  Solder  Set. 

Cover  Vent,  Invert  Can,  and  Watch 
for  Leaks. 

TIPPING  TIN  CANS 

When  canning  in  tin,  we  seal  the 
cans  at  once.  The  tin  will  bulge  out  in 
cooking,  but  is  strong  enough  to  with- 
stand the  pressure,  and  when  the  con- 
tents cool,  the  can  will  come  back  into 
shape. 

See  That  Cap  Seal  Is  Perfect — It 
is  impossible  to  repair  leaks  in  the  cap 
solder  after  the  vent  is  closed.  For 
this  reason  it  is  important  to  know 
that  our  cap  seal  is  perfect  before  we 
undertake  to  close  the  vent. 

As  in  the  case  of  the  capping  tool, 
we  have  our  tipping  copper  very  hot. 
Dip  the  tipper  in  the  sal  ammoniac 
solution  to  clean  it,  hold  the  solder 
with  the  tip  in  the  vent,  press  the  steel 
to  the  solder,  remove  the  solder 
quickly,  and,  if  necessary,  smooth  the 
drop  on  the  can  with  the  tipping  cop- 
per to  make  a  smooth  seal. 

.  Work  Quickly — Quick  work  is  re- 

thl  Point  o?  the  Tipper          Quired  to  produce  a  good,  neat  seal. 


CANNING  REMINDERS 

Begin  with  one  product  only. 
Experiment  with  a  small  quantity. 

Read  carefully  the  instructions  for  canning  tomatoes  found  on 
pages  23  to  29. 

Do  not  try  to  follow  two  sets  of  instructions.  Follow  one  faith- 
fully. 

Do  not  can  a  large  pack  without  trying  a  jar  or  two  to  see  that 
the  seasoning  and  sterilizing  have  been  properly  done. 

Be  sure  you  have  the  necessary  material,  and  that  the  equip- 
ment is  in  working  order,  products  on  hand,  outfit  in  good  repair, 
jars  clean,  and  everything  ready  for  rapid  work  and  accurate  results. 

If  you  grow  fruits  and  vegetables  for  canning,  grow  the  varieties 
which  when  canned  are  of  good  color,  flavor,  and  texture.  Color, 
flavor,  and  texture  affect  palatability  and  price. 

By  the  cold  pack  method,  with  a  time-table  showing  the  time 
required  for  cooking  the  different  products,  any  fruit  or  vegetable 
that  grows,  meat,  fish,  and  fowl,  can  be  canned  successfully. 

In  a  week's  work  with  a  canner,  it  is  possible  to  can  a  can  of 
fruit,  a  can  of  vegetables,  and  a  can  of  greens  for  each  day  of  the 
year.  Three  hundred  cans  of  tomatoes  (or  other  quickly  prepared, 
quick-cooking  product)  per  day  is  not  an  uncommon  task  for  one 
girl,  even  a  small  girl,  with  a  canning  outfit. 

Do  Not  Omit  Nor  Slight  the  Blanch  and  Cold  Dip — All  vegetables 
should  be  blanched.  Any  fruit  or  vegetable  that  is  blanched  should 
be  immediately  plunged  into  the  cold  dip.  A  product  may  be 
blanched  in  boiling  water  or  in  live  steam. 

In  addition  to  its  influence  in  the  keeping  of  vegetables,  blanch- 
ing shrinks  the  product  by  driving  out  the  gases  in  the  tissues.  This 
space  absorbs  liquid  when  cooking,  thus  plumping  the  product  and 
making  it  crisp  and  of  better  appearance.  Try  canning  some  snap 
beans  and  some  apples  blanched,  and  some  unblanched,  and  see 
for  yourself  the  advantage  of  the  blanch  for  the  appearance  alone. 


A  Miscellaneous  Group  of  Tools  Used  in  Cannii 

51 


52  POINTEES  IN  COOKING 

Cleanliness — Absolute  cleanliness  is  necessary,  for  health,  for 
palatability,  and  also  from  the  standpoint  of  keeping  quality.  A 
dirty  pack  will  contain  a  large  number  of  bacteria.  The  larger  the 
number  of  bacteria,  the  more  likely  the  product  is  to  spoil. 

Canning  Outfits — While  a  regular  canning  outfit  is  an  advan- 
tage, especially  if  one  is  going  to  can  to  sell,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
buy  either  outfit  or  cans. 

Any  clean  jars  or  cans  which  are  on  hand  may  be  used,  and  the 
pack  cooked  in  a  pail,  kettle,  boiler,  or  any  sort  of  clean  vessel  deep 
enough  so  that  the  cans  may  be  covered  with  water. 

Canning  in  Glass — If  the  covers  to  glass  jars  are  screwed  too 
tight,  the  rubbers  will  be  forced  out  of  place;  if  too  loose,  the 
water  may  exhaust.  A  rubber  which  bulges  out  may  be  too  large. 
In  that  case  substitute  a  new  rubber  and  process  for  five  minutes. 

If  the  rubber  bulges  because  the  cover  is  screwed  down  too 
close,  simply  loosen  the  top,  slip  the  rubber  back  in  place,  and 
tighten. 

In  using  glass  jars  use  ordinary  common  sense  in  handling  them 
to  prevent  breakage. 

By  using  hot  jars  and  hot  syrup  or  hot  water  for  filling,  jars 
may  be  set  directly  into  boiling  water.  The  hot  jars  also  hasten 
the  cooking. 

Cooking — Different  seasons  produce  different  products.  In  ex- 
tremely dry  seasons  many  of  the  bacteria  are  transformed  into 
spores,  which  are  more  difficult  to  kill  than  the  ordinary  bacteria. 

Some  products  need  to  be  cooked  quickly,  and  so  are  best 
canned  at  a  high  temperature;  the  delicate  flavor  and  texture  of 
some  is  spoiled  by  intense  heat,  and  such  products  are  best  when 
given  a  longer  period  of  sterilization  at  a  lower  temperature. 

For  instance,  peas  should  never  be  cooked  at  a  steam  pressure 
above  10  Ibs.,  although  corn  may  be  canned  at  15  Ibs.  pressure. 

Over-processing  is  apt  to  give  some  products,  such  as  sweet 
potatoes,  pumpkin,  and  squash,  a  scorched  taste  and  appearance. 

Excessive  shrinkage,  an  abundance  of  liquid  in  a  can  which  was 
properly  packed,  or  a  feathery  appearance,  indicate  over-cooking. 

Under-ripe  and  over-ripe  products  and  products  canned  without 
sugar  need  longer  processing. 

In  general  the  regular  instructions  will  produce  an  article  that 
will  keep  and  be  salable,  but  remember  that  color,  flavor,  and 
texture  affect  palatability  and  price.  If  you  wish  to  get  fancy 
prices  you  must  study  your  product,  use  judgment,  and  produce 
canned  goods  which,  to  the  main  essential  that  they  keep,  add  the 
qualities  of  delicate  flavor,  attractive  color,  and  firm  texture. 

Time-table — Boiling  temperature  varies  at  different  heights,  and 
in  high  altitudes  the  time  for  cooking  in  a  hot  water  bath  outfit  must 
be  increased  as  follows: 

500   to   1500   feet,  use  time-table  as  given 
1500   to   3000   feet,  add   10   per  cent 
3000   to   4000   feet,  add   20  per  cent 
4000   to   7000   feet,  add   40   per  cent 

Labeling — It  is  important  to  label  all  goods.  For  tin  cans,  use 
the  regular  commercial  label  which  fits  around  the  entire  can.  The 
labels  may  be  laid  face  down  on  the  table,  over-lapping  so  that 
the  edges  are  exposed.  With  a  large  brush  apply  paste  to  the 
entire  lot  at  once,  simply  pasting  across  the  ends.  Pick  up  a 
label,  lay  it  around  the  can,  overlap  the  edges  and  press  them 
together  so  that  the  paste  holds  it  in  place. 

A  labeling  contest  is  one  of  the  amusements  sometimes  planned 
by  canning  clubs. 

Storing — When  the  product  is  taken  from  the  cooker  do  not 
set  tin  cans  in  the  hot  sun,  or  a  hot  room,  nor  pack  them  together 


CANNING  EEMINDEES 


too  close  or  they  will  retain  the  heat  and  overcook.     Do  not  store 
in  a  damp  place. 

To  retain  color  and  texture  do  not  expose  canned  products  to 
the  light.  If  canned  in  glass,  wrap  in  paper. 

Recipes — It  has  not  been  thought  advisable  to  print  a  number 
of  recipes.  There  are  so  many  products  to  can  that  it  would  be 
impossible  to  include  them  all  without  making  this  booklet  so 
bulky  that  it  would  not  be  valuable  as  a  hand-book. 

Most  companies  which  manufacture  canning  outfits  furnish 
recipe  books  and  the  leaflets  distributed  by  the  canning  leaders  in 
the  Office  of  Extension  Work,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture, 
Washington,  D.  C.,  may  be  secured  free  of  charge. 

SOME  SPECIALS 

Use  Lacquered  Cans  or  Glass  Jars  for  Very  Acid  Products — Cher- 
ries, blackberries,  raspberries,  all  red  fruits,  gooseberries,  pumpkin, 
beets,  squash,  sweet  potatoes, — these  products  lose  color  if  canned 
in  tin. 

Rhubarb  Should  Always  be  Canned  in  Glass—It  contains  a  very 
strong  acid  which  will  affect  even  the  lacquered  tin. 

Acid  Products — Tomatoes,  rhubarb,  gooseberries,  and  other  fruits 
and  vegetables  with  a  high  percentage  of  acid  keep  most  easily. 
Such  fruits  and  vegetables  shrink  most  in  canning. 

Products  Which  Deteriorate — Apples  and  blackberries  lose  qual- 
ity with  age  and  should  not  be  kept  over  from  year  to  year.  It  is 
best  to  market  them  soon  after  canning. 

Fruits  Which  Mould  or  Work  may  sometimes  be  saved  if  treated 
at  once.  Immediately  they  show  signs  of  spoiling  loosen  the  covers 
and  cook  in  the  jar  for  10  minutes  or  longer  as  indicated. 

Increasing  cloudiness  of  liquid  or  fresh  bubbles  indicate  spoilage. 

Do  not  sell  fruit  which  has  been  reheated  to  check  spoilage. 

Do  not  try  to  save  vegetables  which  show  signs  of  spoilage. 

Protein  Foods — Protein  is  a  favorable  medium  for  the  growth 
of  bacteria.  Corn,  beans,  peas,  pumpkin,  squash,  and  sweet  potatoes 
— all  vegetables  with  a  large  protein  content — require  a  high  degree 
of  heat  or  a  longer  period  of  sterilization.  These  products  expand 
in  cooking.  Do  not  fill  the  cans  too  full. 

Wilted  Vegetables — Stand  uncut  in  cold  water  until  they  are 
crisp. 

Apples — Blanching  greatly  improves  the  texture  and  appearance 
of  apples. 

Apples  and  some  other  fruits  have  a  tendency  to  turn  brown 
when  allowed  to  stand  after  they  are  cut.  To  prevent  them  dis- 
coloring, the  pieces  may  be  dropped  into  mild  salt  water,  as  they 
are  pared  and  sliced.  Let  them  stand  for  five  minutes,  then  wash 
in  clear  water  and  pack. 

Use  a  thin  syrup.     Do  not  can  at  too  high  a  temperature. 

Summer  apples  are  not  firm  enough  to  keep  well  when  canned. 
They  cook  up  and  lose  flavor.  They  may,  however,  be  canned  for 
use  within  a  short  time. 

Windfall  apples  may  be  pared,  cored,  and  sliced,  using  water, 
and  only  a  small  quantity  of  that,  instead  of  syrup,  and  canned  for 
pies. 

The  No.  10,  or  gallon,  tin  can  is  usually  preferred  for  apples. 

It  is  suggested  that  housewives  who  can  in  glass  will  have  used 
a  part  of  their  canned  goods  and  have  a  number  of  empty  cans 
on  hand  soon  after  the  holiday  season.  At  this  time  the  winter 


54  CANNING  REMINDERS 

store  of  apples  often  begins  to  decay.  Apples  which  will  not  keep 
uncanned  may  be  canned  in  the  empties  and  kept  for  late  winter  and 
early  summer  use. 

Beets — To  retain  the  color  of  beets  leave  three  or  four  inches 
of  the  stem  and  all  the  root  on  while  blanching.  Blanch  in  steam 
instead  of  water.  After  blanching,  the  skin  may  be  scraped  off. 

Corn — In  canning  corn  on  the  cob  select  Golden  Bantam,  Coun- 
try Gentleman,  or  some  other  small-cob  corn,  to  save  space. 

If  the  corn  is  too  ripe  it  becomes  dry  and  discolored  while 
processing;  if  it  is  under-ripe  it  is  tasteless  and  lacks  food  value. 

Be  careful  not  to  use  too  much  salt  in  corn,  as  it  seems  to  cause 
it  to  develop  a  "sour"  taste.  A  small  spoon  of  a  mixture  of  two- 
thirds  sugar  and  one-third  salt  is  considered  a  good  proportion. 

Very  hard  water  sometimes  causes  corn  to  turn  yellow  and  may 
also  spoil  the  flavor.  Immature  corn  will  sour  more  readily  than 
corn  which  is  at  just  the  right  stage. 

It  is  best  to  can  corn  within  a  half  hour  after  gathering,  but 
if  pulled  with  husks  and  a  considerable  piece  of  the  shank  left  on, 
it  will  keep  fresh  for  some  time.  Corn  which  has  been  gathered 
for  some  time  is  more  liable  to  spoil. 

Corn  on  the  Cob — Husk,  silk,  and  trim,  cutting  out  any 
poor  kernels.  Cut  off  the  tips  of  the  ears  if  necessary  to  get 
them  in  the  can.  Do  not  leave  any  broken  kernels,  as  they 
will  give  a  milky  appearance  to  the  water  in  which  the  corn  is 
canned. 

Blanch  as  per  time  table,  plunge  into  cold  dip,  and  pack 
quickly,  alternating  tips  and  butts — first  ear,  tip  end  down; 
second  ear,  butt  end  down — and  so  on,  so  that  they  fit  closely 
in  the  can  and  no  space  is  wasted. 

A  quart  Mason  jar  will  hold  four  ears  of  Golden  Bantam. 
Gallon  (No.  10)  tin  cans  are  best  for  canning  corn  on  the  cob. 
They  hold  from  seven  to  twelve  ears  each. 

Salt  and  add  from  one  to  two  inches  of  water.  Corn  looks 
better  if  the  can  is  filled  with  water,  but  it  tastes  better  if 
only  a  small  amount  is  used. 

When  using  corn  canned  on  the  cob,  take  the  ears  out  of 
the  liquid  and  put  them  in  a  steamer  and  steam  until  heated 
through,  then  lay  in  a  medium  hot  oven  for  a  few  minutes 
to  dry  out  before  serving.  If  the  ears  are  heated  in  water 
the  corn  is  apt  to  taste  watery. 

Canning  Corn  Cut  Off — Blanch  on  the  cob  as  per  instruc- 
tions for  canning  corn  on  the  cob.  Cold  dip,  cut  off  (drawing 
the  knife  from  the  tip  towards  the  base  of  the  cob),  pack, 
salt,  and  add  a  small  amount  of  water. 

Unlike  most  other  products,  corn  swells  in  cooking  so  the 
cans  should  not  be  packed  too  full.     Leave  one-half  to  three- 
quarters  of  an  inch  of  space  at  the  top  of  the  can. 
Cauliflower,  Cabbage,  and  Sauerkraut  should  be  soaked  in  cold 
salt  water  3  to  6  hours. 

Greens — Blanch   all   greens  in   steam.      Blanch   or  cook  twenty 
minutes  to  reduce  bulk.     Pack  close.     Can  in  glass  or  lacquered  tin. 
Rhubarb — Blanch  rhubarb  after  peeling. 

Never  can  rhubarb  in  tin  cans.  Rhubarb  contains  an  especially 
strong  acid  which  will  eat  even  the  enamel-lined  tin  cans. 

Squash  and  Pumpkin  should  be  cut  into  sections,  blanched   10 
minutes   in   the   shell,   cold-dipped,   then   scraped   out  of   the   shell, 
packed  and  cooked  as  per  time  table. 
Can  in  glass  or  lacquered  tin. 


CANNING  FKUIT   JUICES   AND  MEATS  55 


FRUIT  JUICES 

Fruit  juices  furnish  a  healthful  and  delicious  drink  and  are 
readily  canned  at  home.  Each  home  supply  room  should  have,  not 
a  few  quarts  but  an  abundant  supply,  of  canned  fruit  juices  which, 
in  addition  to  supplying  flavoring  for  puddings,  gelatins,  etc.,  may 
be  used  freely  as  a  beverage. 

Grapes,  Raspberries,  and  other  small  fruits  may  be  crushed  in 
a  fruit  press,  or  put  in  a  cloth  sack,  heated  for  30  minutes,  of  until 
the  juice  runs  freely,  and  allowed  to  drip. 

Strain  through  two  thicknesses  of  cotton  flannel,  to  remove  the 
sediment,  sweeten  slightly,  bottle,  close  by  filling  the  neck  of  the 
bottle  with  a  thick  pad  of  sterilized  cotton,  heat  to  160°,  or  until 
air  bubbles  begin  to  form  on  the  bottom  of  the  cooker,  and  keep  at 
this  temperature  1  %  to  2  hours;  or,  heat  to  200°,  or  until  the 
bubbles  begin  to  rise  to  the  top  of  the  water,  and  hold  at  this  tem- 
perature for  30  minutes.  Cork  without  removing  the  cotton.  If 
canned  in  jars,  close  the  jar  partly,  the  same  as  when  canning  fruits 
and  vegetables,  and  seal  tight  after  cooking. 

Fruit  juices  should  never  be  heated  above  20  Oo,  as  a  higher  tem- 
perature injures  the  flavor. 

A  very  good  quality  of  grape  juice  may  be  made  by  selecting 
perfectly  sound,  whole  grapes,  picking  them  from  the  stems,  wash- 
ing them  through  several  waters,  then  canning  them  as  follows: 

Place  one  pint  of  grapes  in  a  2-qt.  jar,  add  l/2  cup  sugar,  fill  the 
jar  with  boiling  water,  and  seal  tight  at  once.  It  is  not  necessary  to 
cook  this. 

Apple  Cider  may  be  bottled,  heated  to  180°,  and  held  at  this 
temperature  for  45  minutes. 

A  small  portion  of  grape,  currant,  or  blackberry  juice  added  to 
canned  apple  cider  when  it  is  served  restores  its  pungency.  Pouring 
it  back  and  forth  from  one  pitcher  to  another  just  before  serving, 
so  it  can  absorb  air  to  take  the  place  of  that  driven  out  by  heating, 
also  brightens  its  flavor. 

SOUPS  AND  MEATS 

Soup  stocks,  purees,  consommes,  and  vegetable  or  meat  soups 
are  readily  canned,  and  are  palatable  and  economical. 

Meats  may  be  canned  instead  of  corning  or  smoking,  or  corned 
meat  may  be  canned.  Chicken  Fries  canned  in  the  late  fall  preserve 
the  meat  at  the  most  delicious  stage  and  we  avoid  the  expense  of 
feeding  throughout  the  winter  the  chickens  intended  for  the 
family  meat  supply.  Game  and  fish  may  be  canned  to  serve  as  a 
delicacy  at  a  time  of  the  year  when  it  may  be  difficult  or  even  im- 
possible for  most  of  us  to  secure  them  otherwise. 

Be  sure  that  meats  for  canning  are  in  perfect  condition. 

Meat  should  be  cooled  quickly,  the  bone,  gristle,  and  fat  removed, 
then  cut  into  convenient  pieces.  Sear  and  pack  at  once.  Fill  the  jar 
with  hot  "pot  liquor,"  or  boiling  water,  season  as  desired,  cover, 
and  cook  as  per  time-table. 

Tough  meats,  old  fowls,  and  other  meats  which  require  long  cook- 
ing to  make  them  tender,  may  be  boiled  a  half  hour  or  longer  before 
packing. 

Fish  should  be  soaked  in  brine  a  half  hour  before  packing. 

Too  high  temperature  injures  the  flavor,  destroys  the  texture, 
and  shrinks  meat.  For  this  reason  many  people  prefer  to  can  meat 
in  a  hot  water  bath  instead  of  a  steam  outfit. 

Write  direct  to  the  Office  of  Extension  Work,  U.  S.  Department 
of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C.,  for  detailed  recipes. 


56  SYEUPS   AND   JELLIES 


SYRUPS  FOB  CANNING 

Western  canned  fruits  are  sometimes  thought  to  be  superior  to 
those  marketed  by  eastern  factories. 

The  excellence  may  be  due,  not  to  the  fruits,  but  to  the  syrups 
in  which  they  are  canned. 

All  syrups  may  be  made  in  the  same  proportion,  the  difference 
in  density  depending  on  the  length  of  time  they  are  cooked. 

Heat  slowly  and  stir  syrup  until  the  sugar  is  dissolved  but  not 
afterwards. 

Less  scum  forms  if  the  sugar  is  stirred  into  the  water  slowly 
instead  of  pouring  the  water  over  the  sugar. 

Proportion — 3  parts  sugar  to  2  parts  water,  by  measure. 

Thin  Syrup — Sugar  simply  dissolved;  bring  to  boil.  Use 
when  you  do  not  wish  product  sweet. 

Medium  Thin — Begins  to  be  sticky.  Use  this  for  canning 
cherries,  black  raspberries,  gooseberries,  peaches,  and  plums. 

Medium  Thick — Catches  over  edge  of  spoon.  Use  this  for 
strawberries,  red  raspberries,  other  delicate  fruits,  and  ex- 
tremely sour  fruits. 

Thick  Syrup — Will  hardly  pour.  This  is  for  sun  preserves, 
jellies,  jams,  etc. 

Syrups  may  be  made  in  advance  but  in  that  case  it  is  best  to 
heat  them  when  they  are  to  be  used. 

Most  fruits  are  much  better  canned  in  syrup  than  in  water,  and 
the  entire  extra  cost  of  sugar  used  in  canning  amounts  to  little. 
Besides  it  requires  less  sugar  to  sweeten  fruit  when  it  is  sweetened 
while  cooking  than  it  does  after  it  has  cooled. 

JELLIES  AND  PRESERVES 

The  best  jellies  are  made  in  the  proportion  of  three  parts 
sugar  to  one  part  fruit  juice.  More  sugar  makes  more  jelly  but 
it  does  not  stand  up  as  well;  less  sugar  makes  a  tough  jelly. 

The  principle  which  makes  jelly  jell  is  pectin.  It  is  found  in 
most  fruits  and  some  vegetables.  Apples,  the  white  of  the  citrus 
fruits,  and  carrots  contain  an  abundance  of  pectin,  that  is  why  we 
add  apple  juice  to  some  fruit  juices  which  do  not  have  sufficient 
pectin  to  jell  alone. 

It  is  not  practical  for  the  housewife  to  make  pectin,  but  com- 
mercial pectin  is  now  for  sale  and  a  small  amount  of  it  added  to  the 
juice  of  fruits  which  do  not  jell  readily  makes  jelly-making  certain. 

Where  pectin  is  used  we  depend  upon  the  fruit  to  furnish  color- 
ing and  flavor;  the  amount  of  jelly  secured  depends  upon  the  amount 
of  sugar  used;  that  is,  so  long  as  there  is  enough  pectin  to  use  the 
sugar.  Write  the  Office  of  Extension  Work,  U.  S.  Department  of 
Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C.,  for  recipes  for  making  jelly  with 
pectin. 

Sun  Preserves — Strawberries,  raspberries,  ripe  gooseberries, 
cherries,  etc.,  make  good  sun  preserves.  Peaches  sliced  or  cubed  are 
also  good. 

Select  the  fruit,  sprinkle  lightly  with  powdered  sugar,  cover 
with  the  thick  syrup  and  set  in  the  sun.  Protect  from  insects,  but 
do  not  cover  close  with  glass,  as  this  retains  the  moisture  and 
prevents  the  proper  cooking  of  the  fruit. 

A  south  wall  for  a  background  helps  concentrate  the  heat. 


EXHIBITS   AND   MARKET JN&;     '<>'-''.  57 


Preserves  from  Dried  Fruits  —  Dried  fruits,  such  as  apricots, 
peaches,  etc.,  make  very  excellent  preserves.  They  have  a  distinct 
flavor  and  are  richer  than  when  fresh  fruits  are  used.  Soak  the 
fruit  over  night  in  a  small  quantity  of  water,  then  proceed  as  with 
fresh  fruit. 

Jellies,  Jams,  Preserves,  and  Fruit  Butters  do  not  need  to  be 
sealed,  as  there  is  enough  sugar  added  to  preserve  them.  They  may 
be  canned  in  open  glasses  or  jars,  and  the  top  covered  with  melted 
paraffin.  If  desired,  a  small  piece  of  paraffin  may  be  placed  in  the 
bottom  of  the  jelly  glass  when  the  jelly  is  poured  in.  The  paraffin 
will  float  and  will  be  melted  by  the  heat  of  the  jelly  and  form  a  per- 
fect air-tight  seal.  The  jars  or  glasses  should  be  covered  when  cold 
with  tin  caps  or  with  paper,  so  that  dirt  and  dust  will  not  collect  on 
the  food.  A  small  rubber  band  may  be  snapped  around  the  neck  of 
the  jar  or  glass  to  hold  the  paper  in  place. 

CANNING  TO   SELL 

If  canning  to  sell,  write  to  the  Pure  Food  Commission,  or 
Health  Department,  of  your  own  state,  and  to  the  Bureau  of  Chem- 
istry, U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C.,  for 
copies  of  the  Pure  Food  Laws  and  Regulations  concerning  canned 
goods  to  be  sold. 

Put  your  name — a  trade  name  if  desired — and  address  on  each 
can  so  the  buyer  will  learn  to  know  your  brand.  Make  the  food 
so  good  that  the  customer  will  re-order.  Canvass  your  trade  in 
advance  so  that  you  will  have  a  market  for  your  products. 

Cater  to  high-priced  trade.  Sell  only  first  class  canned  goods. 
See  that  the  container  and  the  label  are  attractive,  then  ask  a 
fair  price. 

Hospitals,  Colleges,  Boarding  Houses,  Hotels,  Railroad  Diners, 
the  Neighbors,  and  the  Home  Grocer  are  all  possible  customers, 

EXHIBITS 

In  preparing  canned  goods  for  exhibits,  see  that  the  cans  are 
all  of  one  size  and  make.  This  insures  a  uniformity  that  makes 
a  better  looking  exhibit.  Tops  should  be  new  and  bright  and  the 
cans  scrupulously  clean  and  polished.  A  dark  green  crepe  paper  for 
a  background  and  some  ferns  and  flowers  set  among  the  jars  add 
to  the  appearance. 

HOME  CANNING  CLUBS 

More  than  500  Club  Leaders  and  Home  Demonstrators,  working 
under  the  direction  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  are  help- 
Ing  to  spread  the  story  of  how  simple  and  easy  it  is  to  do  one-period, 
cold-pack  canning  at  home. 

There  is  no  reason  why  there  should  not  be  a  Canning  Club 
In  every  district  of  every  State  of  the  Union,  affording  the  farm 
girl  an  opportunity  to  earn  money,  to  develop  her  business  ability, 
and  to  meet  in  the  social  gatherings  which  grow  out  of  Canning 
Clubs. 

It  has  not  been  found  advisable  to  organize  a  county  in  the  club 
work  unless  the  local  authorities  co-operate  by  appropriating  a  part 
of  the  money  necessary  to  pay  the  salary  of  a  County  Agent. 

The  State  Colleges  of  Agriculture  co-operating  with  the  U.  S. 
Department  of  Agriculture  are  now  paying  part  of  the  salary  of  a 
local  or  district  leader  in  some  communities  where  the  organization 
is  satisfactory. 

The  first  thing  to  do  is  to  work  up  enough  local  sentiment  so 
that  local  funds  are  available,  then  present  the  matter  to  the 
Director  of  Extension  in  your  state,  or  write  the  State  Club  Leader 
in  care  of  the  Extension  Director,  State  College  of  Agriculture,  your 
state,  and  learn  what  steps  are  necessary. 


HISTORY  OF  TTTR   HOME   CANNING  CLUBS 

The  first  Girls'  Tomato  and  Can- 
ning Club  was  organized  at  Aiken, 
South  Carolina,  in  1910,  by  Miss 
Marie  Cromer,  a  teacher  in  the  rural 
schools.  It  was  intended  to  give 
girls  in  country  districts  an  oppor- 
tunity similar  to  that  which  the  Corn 
Club  offers  to  boys.  Miss  Cromer, 
who  is  now  Mrs.  Seigler,  was  assisted 
in  planning  the  details  of  the  work 
by  County  Superintendent  Cecil  H. 
Seigler. 

Dr.  Seaman  A.  Knapp,  the  great 
agricultural  educator,  was  at  that 
time  Special  Agent  Farmers'  Co-op- 
erative Demonstration  Work,  with 
the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture. 
He  saw  the  value  of  this  work  both 
in  saving  food  products  now  wasted 
and  as  a  training  school  for  girls, 
and  promptly  sent  the  Club  a  can- 
ning outfit,  cans,  and  labels.  Secre- 
tary of  Agriculture  James  Wilson 
added  a  check  for*  $100  and  with 
this  financial  assistance  forty-six  girls  began  Home  canning. 

The  first  season  they  canned  by  the  Cold  Pack  method  more  than 
6,000  cans  of  tomatoes  and  many  gallons  of  catsup  and  other  prod- 
ucts. Within  a  year  325  girls  were  enrolled  and  the  work  had 
spread  to  other  states.  In  1912,  its  value  had  become  so  apparent 
that  it  was  decided  to  extend  it  through  all  the  states,  and  now  there 
are  more  than  500  demonstrators  and  several  hundred  thousand 
members. 

Since  the  adoption  of  the  one-period  process,  simplifying  the  work 
and  shortening  the  time  required,  Cold  Pack  Canning  has  come  into 
more  general  use,  and  it  is  estimated  that  more  than  500,000,000 
jars  of  canned  goods  were  packed  last  year  by  home  workers. 

The  work  is  not  confined  exclusively  to  girls,  but  boys,  too,  are 
often  included  in  the  club,  and  within  the  past  year,  the  Mother- 
Daughter  Clubs  have  been  organized.  These  give  the  women  of  the 
community  an  opportunity  to  train  in  this  work. 


Mrs.    Marie    Cromer    Seig-ler. 

who    organized    the   first 

Canning1  Club 


The  First  Tomato  Club,  AJken,  S.  C.,  1910 
58 


TIME-TABLE 

For  Scalding  or  Blanching,  and  Sterilizing  in  Cold  Pack  Canning 

Use  the  Time  Given  Under  the  Type  of  Outfit  You  Are  Using. 
See  note  under   "Time-Table,"   Page   52. 


PRODUCTS 

Scald 
or 
Blanch 

Hot 
Water 
Bath  Out- 
fits 212° 

Water- 
Seal  Out- 
fits 214° 

Steam 
Pressure 
51bs. 

Pressure 
Cooker 
10  to  15 
Ibs. 

Fruits 

Minutes 
1  to  2 

Minutes 
16 

Minutes 
10 

Minutes 
10 

Minutes 

Blackberries  

No 

16 

12 

10 

No 

16 

12 

1  0 

No 

16 

12 

10 

Cranberries 

No 

16 

1  O 

10 

Currants  

No 

16 

1  O 

10 

Dewberries    

No 

16 

12 

10 

Gooseberries  

No 

16 

12 

10 

No 

16 

12 

10 

1  to  2 

16 

12 

10 

K 

Plums  

No 

16 

12 

10 

No 

16 

12 

10 

5" 

Ehubarb  (blanch  before 
paring)    . 

1  to  2 

16 

12 

10 

5 

No 

16 

12 

10 

5 

Citrus   Fruits......  

iy2 

12 

8 

6 

4 

1V» 

20 

12 

8 

« 

Pears  

iy2 

20 

12 

g 

g 

10 

30 

25 

25 

18 

Quince    

6 

40 

30 

25 

20 

Ties   . 

15  to  20 

40 

30 

25 

20 

Some  Specials 

Tomatoes 

1  to  3 

22 

18 

15 

10 

Tomatoes  and  Corn.  .  .  . 
Egg  Plant  

T.2,  C.8 
3 

90 
60 

75 
45 

60 
45 

45 
30 

5 

90 

50 

40 

35 

Squash    

5 

90 

50 

40 

35 

Greens,  Roots,  and  Tubers 

Dandelions 

10  to  15 

120 

60 

50 

25 

Spinach   .... 

10  to  15 

120 

60 

50 

25 

Greens,  all  other  kinds. 
Asparagus   

10  to  15 
2  to  4 

120 
90 

75 

60 

60 
50 

35 
25 

Brussels    Sprouts  

4  to  10 

90 

60 

50 

25 

Cabbage  or  Sauerkraut. 
Cauliflower 

6  to  15 
3  to  6 

90 
90 

75 
60 

60 
50 

35 
25 

Beets           ... 

6 

90 

75 

60 

35 

Carrots 

6 

90 

75 

60 

35 

Sweet  Potatoes  .          .  . 

6 

90 

75 

60 

35 

Parsnips,  Turnips,  etc. 

Pod  Vegetables 

Beans  (Lima  or  String) 
Hominy    
Okra    

6 

5 
5 
5 

90 

90  to  120 
90  to  120 
90  to  120 

75 

90 
90 
90 

60 

60 
60 
60 

35 

40 
40 
40 

Peas 

5 

90  to  120 

90 

60 

40 

Corn  (on  Cob  or  Cut  Off) 

Meats  and  Soups 

Beef  and  Pork 

5  to  8 

fSeeP. 
j    55  for 

180 
240 

90 
240 

60 
210 

45 
90 

Poultry   

yald 

240 

210 

180 

60 

Fish  and  Shell  Foods.  . 
Soup  Mixtures  

to  8 
3  to  8 

180 
90 

120 
75 

90 

60 

60 
30 

The  Visual  Method  of  Instruction 

The  Big  Idea  in  Education  Characterized  in 
I H  C  Lecture  Charts  and  Lantern  Slides 
SIMPLE-LOGICAL-IMPRESSIVE-PRACTICAL 

USED  EVERYWHERE— In  Community  and  Home  — 
Rural  School  and  College  —  On  the  Farm  and  In  the  Factory 
—  By  Teacher,  Pupil,  Farmer,  Banker  and  Merchant 

I  H  C  CHARTS  OR  SLIDES  LOANED  FREE 

On  these  conditions — that  you  have  a  plan  for  using  them,  pay  express  charges 
from  Chicago  and  return,  and  report  all  meetings  at  the  end  of  each  week 

CHARTS  OR  SLIDES  FURNISHED  ON  THE  FOLLOWING  SUBJECTS: 


8.  Weeds  Mean  Waste. 

9.  Home  Economics  and  Sanitation. 

10.  Fight  the  Fly. 

1 1.  Great  Forward  Movement  in  Education* 

1 2.  Diversified  Farming  for  the  South. 

13.  Home  Canning. 

14.  Development  of  Agriculture  — 

(No.  14  in  Lantern  Slides  only.) 


1.  Corn  is  King 

2.  Alfalfa  on  Every  Farm. 

3.  A  Fertile  Soil  Means  a  Prosperous  People. 

4.  Live  Stock  on  Every  Farm. 

5.  Dairying. 

6.  Greater  Profit  from  the  Oat  Crop. 

7.  Make  More  from  Your  Farm  Poultry. 

CHARTS 

I  H  C  lecture  charts  are  70  inches 
long  by  63  inches  wide,  made  of  a 
good  grade  of  sheeting,  printed  in 
clear  black  letters,  which  can  easily 
be  read  at  a  distance  of  100  feet  or 
more.  They  are  arranged  for  setting 
up  and  taking  down  quickly  and 
conveniently. 

Sets  contain  from  ten  to  fifteen 
charts.  Each  set  with  iron  stand, 
pointer,  and  lecture  book,  is  packed 
in  a  canvas  case.  Weight,  35  Ibs. 

LANTERN  SLIDES 

Lantern  slide  sets,  50  to  60  slides, 
plain  and  in  colors.  Weight,  15  Ibs. 

Lecture  Books  Furnished 

For  the  information  and  direction 
of  lecturers,  each  set  contains  an 
illustrated  lecture  book  outlining  in 
brief  form  the  story  of  each  chart 
or  slide. 


rT"'HE  sole  object  of  the  Agricultural  Extension  Department  of  the  Inter- 
I    national  Harvester  Company  is  to  help  YOU  make  YOUR  work  more 
effective.     It  is  not  a  matter  of  making  money  out  of  charts,  slides, 
booklets,  or  any  other  material  prepared  and  published  by  the  Department. 
The  Extension  Department  was  not  organized  to  make  sales.     But  we  do 
want  to  work  with  people  who  are  in  earnest;  who  really  want  to  do  some- 
thing worth  while. 

Circuits  formed  to  reduce  express  charges.    Write  for  plan. 
FOR  FURTHER  INFORMATION  ADDRESS 

International  Harvester  Company  of  New  Jersey,  Inc. 

Agricultural  Extension  Department 
CHICAGO 


Educational  Publications 

PRINTED  AND  DISTRIBUTED  BY 

The  I  H  C  Agricultural  Extension  Department 
Harvester  Building,  Chicago 


Furnished  Upon  Receipt  of  Amounts  Quoted  Below.    Quantity  Lots  Sent 
Transportation  Charges  Collect 


NAME 

Getting  a  Start  with  Alfalfa  in  the  Corn  Belt 

Getting  a  Start  with  Alfalfa  in  the  Northwest 

Sweet  Clover  in  the  Northwest 

Seed  Corn,  Do  You  Know  It  Will  Grow  - 

I  H  C  Demonstration  Farms  in  the  North  » 

I  H  C  Demonstration  Farms  in  the  South    - 

Hog  Cholera 

Humus— The   Life    of   the  Soil  ..       -- 

Storing  Sweet  Potatoes 

Dip  the  Cattle  Tick        

Home    Bulletin        

Helps  for  Wash  Day       -       -       -        -       .- 

Cold    Pack  Canning       

The  Pit  Silo  

Sweet  Clover  •  — 

Diversified  Farming  is  Safe  Farming 
Diversified  Farming  in  the  Cotton  Belt 

Boll  Weevil  

For  Better  Crops  in  the  South 

For  Better  Crops 

The  Disk  Harrow  

We  Must  Feed  Ourselves       

A  Silo  on  Every  Farm  , 


Pages 

12 

32 

38 

28 

32 

32 

12 

12 
8 

18 

24 

20 

20 

28 

64 

32 

52 

32 
100 
160 

64 

52 

52 


Single  Copies 
Each 

$0.02 
02 

02 

02 
Free 
Free 

02 

02 

02 

02 

02 

02 

02 

02 

05 

05 

05 

05 

05 

05 

05 

05 

10 


Quantities 
Each 

$0.01 

01 
01 
01 
01 
01 
01 
01 
01 
01 
01 
01 
01 
01 
04 
04 
04 
04 
04 
04 
04 
04 
06 


Literature  Especially  Suited  to  Schools 


Grow  a  Garden      --       --       --       --      ..      .-      ..  8 

Poultry  is  Profitable       12 

Making  Money  from  Pigs 8 

A  Pig  for  Every  Boy      —       —       —       —       —       —  4 

Harvesting  Seed  Corn -       .-       —       —  16 

Testing  Seed  Corn         8 

Fly  Catechism        4 


Free$0.  10  doz. 


$.30  per  100 

Single  Copies      Quantities 


Each 
$0.05 

05 
05 
20 
50 


Studies  in  Alfalfa 32 

Story    of   Bread       32 

Creeds   of  Great  Business  Men  46 

Binder  Twine  Industry 48 

Harvest  Scenes  of  the  World       150 

Stencils — Paper  patterns  3-ft.  square  for  repro- 
ducing large  charts.  Subjects:  Corn,  Poultry, 
Weeds,  Flies,  Alfalfa,  Dairying,  Canning. 

Per  Set  of   10  to    15   sheets 

Fly  Trap   Pattern  

The  "Rag  Doll"  for  Testing  Seed  Corn- 
Cloth  

Paper         

Germination  Cloth  for  Saw  Dust  Box — 

Cloth 20 

Paper         Sample  Free 


$0.04 
04 
04 
15 
35 


50         

05          

Per  Doz. 
10  $0.75 

Sample  Free        05 


05 


Send  for  our  new  catalog  containing  descriptions,  illustrations  and  a  com- 
plete list  of  all  literature  published  by  the  Agricultural  Extension  Department 


^  —  '  — 

X     TOIVEESITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

IQ  BERKELEY 

« 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUl^  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


°  *  *»*  « 

to  $1.00  per  vohim  afer  thfi  R,'Y  ^Verdu^'  increa8ing 
demand  may  be  renewed  if  «  S1fh.day-  Books  not  in 
expiration  of  loan  pSod  apphcatlon  *•  made  before 


'' 


SENT  ON  ILL 


'325 


13  1995 

U.  C.  BERKELEY 


50m-7,'27 


Gaylord  Bros. 

Makers 

Syracuse,  N.Y. 
PAT.  JAN.  21   .WOJ 


18/21 


O 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


